1st XV Match report - 6th Nov 2021

David Daniels
SCRFC 1st XV Team Manager

Whitchurch RFC 40pts v Sutton Coldfield 14pts

Once again team selection for Sutton 1st XV proved to be a major problem ahead of the trip to Whitchurch RFC last weekend, with injuries and availability making changes to the starting line up inevitable.

During the week leading up to the match Sutton signed up two highly talented home grown 18 year old future prospects but in the circumstances both players had to make their 1st XV debut in the starting fifteen with different outcomes; 2nd row Ollie Gregory made a big impact on the game, topped by scoring a debut try early in the second half, which was Sutton's only try on another frustrating day...but unfortunately winger Alex Quirk injured his ankle in an early skirmish and was unable to continue having to sit out the remainder of the game as a frustrated observer on the touchline. Luckily chef Chris Duckworth, who had to work on Saturday morning had agreed to race to Whitchurch straight from his work in the kitchen after preparing breakfast for the many appreciative early morning dinners and with the agreement of the restaurant management he was chauffeured up the A41 by club stalwart Ken Lewis arriving at 2pm for a 2.15 start, just in time to place himself on the subs bench for kick-off, then just 3 minutes into the game he was thrust into the match as a worthy replacement for the strickened youngster Alex Quirk and he went on to make many penetrating runs from the left wing during the coarse of the game.

However, in spite of or because of all the drama leading up to the game Sutton's troubled season continued with another mixed performance showing their true potential at times then lapsing to gift possession to their opponents, who punished Sutton by scoring 6 tries many from long range taking full advantage of Sutton errors to gain possession and to their credit Whitchurch took their chances in a 40-14 victory, which the home supporters readily conceded flattered the home side but on the day they deserved the win.

After the drama that faced Sutton before the game the drama continued at the start of the game when the home side fashioned a try in the opening two minutes. Whitchurch had kicked off in light drizzle and dispossessed Sutton on their 10 metre line before driving play down their left wing with a charge, which took play deep into the Sutton 22 setting up a ruck close to the Sutton try line before burly loose head prop Steve Bloore was bundled over the try line to score the opening try in the left corner.

The difficult conversion was missed but the visitors were trailing 5-0 after 2 minutes, then they lost debut wing Alex Quirk with a damaged ankle on 3 minutes but Sutton rallied to the task and from the restart applied pressure in the Whitchurch half winning a penalty in midfield 30 metres out which Sutton fly half Ben Morgan struck cleanly to close the score to 5-3 after 4 minutes but then on 8 minutes Whitchurch no8 Jack Furnival picked from the base of a scrum in the Sutton 22 and breaking right he fed the ball out to the right before taking a return pass cutting inside to score a well worked try close to the posts. Fly half Danny Nicholas added the conversion to extend the lead to 12-3.

Sutton continued to compete and make their presence felt but they were unable to breakdown the Whitchurch defence, however their sustained pressure led to another penalty opportunity in mid field 35 metres out which Ben Morgam comfortably slotted to close to 12-6 after 13 minutes of play but just as Sutton were starting to get back into the game midway through the first half the home side's outside centre Harry Hockenhull found himself in space in his own half and he made a break down the right wing on a 50 metre weaving run as he cut inside to score a fine individual try close to the posts, which Danny Nicholas converted to stretch the score to 19-6.

Again the game ebbed and flowed with Sutton unable to make the breakthrough but again 5 minutes before the break Sutton won another penalty when Whitchurch were penalised for another high tackle and again the Sutton fly half Morgan was spot on with his kicking this time from 40 metre to bring the score to 19-9 and the half petered out with no change to the scoreboard.

With the new look Sutton pack going well in the scrums and lineout play, bolstered by props Tom Morahan and new boy Peter Pilling, who is fitting in well alongside hooker and club captain Dean Ginn there was plenty of promise on show and Sutton made a good start to the second half again putting the Whitchurch defence under sustained pressure, with blind side flanker Mike Burns making some fierce tackles and outstanding runs into heart of the home defence and with no8 Harry Moxon in close support to carry the ball forward, on one such occasion with the play moving up the Sutton left the ball was fed to prop Peter Pilling who charged into the Whitchurch 22 before cleverly off loading the ball to feed 2nd row Ollie Gregory, who powered forward for the try line stretching his long frame to ground the ball over the line for a superb debut try, wide out on the left.

Unfortunately the difficult conversion drifted wide in the gusting wind but Sutton had drawn to within 5 points at 19-14 with just 6 minutes of the second half played.

Encouraged by the score line and with everything to play for Sutton set about the task of reducing the deficit still further but unfortunately that's as good as it got for the Sutton side and in the closing period unforced errors and misjudgements cost them dear as the home side ran in three more long range tries in the final 30 minutes, all converted by fly half Danny Nicholas and to their credit although Sutton kept up their full blooded approach in spite of the growing deficit the score board ticked over to 40-14.

The first of the final trio of tries came on 10 minutes when Sutton lost possession on the halfway line and Whitchurch gathered to send a kick down the left wing only for the bouncing ball to elude the Sutton defenders and drop neatly into the hands of full back Abe Spragg, who completed the run to score close to the posts; the second try came on 24 minutes with Sutton again going forward on the halfway line when the ball was stolen and left wing James Marvell raced 45 metres to ground the ball in the left corner setting up an outstanding touchline conversion by his fly half and the final try came on 34 minutes when substitute flanker Elliot Horton carried the ball over the try line following a dash down the right wing.

Beaten but still undaunted with better things to come Sutton now take a break from the pressures of league rugby before returning to league action on Nov 20 with an away trip to fellow strugglers Wolverhampton KO 2.15pm.

Sutton's next HOME game is against Droitwich on 27th Nov 2021. KO 2.15pm.

Sutton other team results:

Sutton 2nd XV - Sat 6th Nov 2021

Bridgenorth RFC 22pts v Sutton Coldfield 48pts

In spite of the pressure put on the Sutton 2nd XV numbers due to call-up's to the 1st XV depleting their player base and the fact they therefore had to travel to Bridgenorth with less than a full team, still they continued their winning run with a convincing 48-22 victory - well done the seconds, especially Steve Marshall who you can be sure chased up the extra players.

In these days of player shortages everywhere; Under the laws now set down by the RFU if one team has less than a full squad either the other team loans players to make up the numbers so the team needing the players is only one player short or if there are no spare players then again the game can proceed with both teams having a reduced number of players but in the spirit of fairness at the start one team should have only one player more than the other, say 13 playing 12.

On this occasion the game went ahead with reduced numbers and the Sutton scorers in another impressive performance were;

Charles Snow (2), Paul O'Toole (2), Raheel Hussain (1), Steve Marshall (1), Dave Sandford (1), Harry Slaymaker (1) with Raheel Hussain kicking 2 conversions and Harry Slaymaker adding 2 conversions.