Fine Victory for Sutton

Sutton Threes welcomed Bournville Twos to a bright but chilly Walmley Road for a West Midlands Reserve League 3 match. In a keenly fought match played in a very good spirit Sutton would eventually triumph 42-10 but it was a curate’s egg of a performance from the home team. It also included the rarity, at this level at least of every try being converted, with Sutton’s Matt Morgan converting 6 out of 6 but to be fair 4 were bang in front of the sticks, the other 2 were slightly trickier!
The first question to be asked was How would Sutton deal with the start? Instead of dropping the ball as usual when receiving, it was booted miles into touch instead so Sutton started with a scrum as usual!!! Unusually ,however, Bournville were repelled and no score was conceded and play aimlessly drifted around the half way line for 10 minutes or so as neither side could keep hold of the ball. Sutton had the upper hand in the scrum but were unable to do much with it despite some rollocking runs by James Hegarty, playing a second consecutive game! And Armand Haribo Ro who had an especially fine first half with ball in hand and at loose head! Back play was muddled but gradually Sutton took control of possession and territory and were rewarded with the first score of the match after some vigorous recycling of the ball in the Bournville 22 led to veteran prop Andy Duckworth, playing at hooker, giving the ball on a plate for full back Alex Shaw to plunge over and after a successful conversion a 7 point lead. But Sutton being Sutton minutes later Bournville were level as a quick thinking scrum half caught them out taking a quick penalty making metres without a hand being laid on him before giving the try scoring pass. As you know, all tries were converted so 7 each and Bournville with their tails up. A succession of penalties went the away team’s way and they took the lead with a fine penalty 7-10.
Sutton woke up and spurred on by scrum half Danny Price, who was to complete his first full 80 minutes for about 2 seasons, they gradually took command of the game through a fine individual try by stand off Morgan who danced his way through the Bournville cover for a fine individual try. Better was to come as another returnee Joe Venencia hit a fine line 10 metres out, just having enough strength to touch down. Sutton 21-7 ahead at oranges, one day we’ll have some!!!
The second half started with a bang as centre Pete Hall received the ball in his own half and silkily glided into Bournville’s half before putting winger Mark McEvoy away for a less silky but powerful sprint up the touch line and a try beneath the H. Sutton were now on top but Bournville battled hard and some fluent passing moves gained them territory and some penalties 10 metres out. A great dual hit from Dave Smith and Hegarty however, kept the tiger from the door! Eventually Bournville resistance was broken as youngster Jonah got on the end of a great flowing Sutton move to register a fine try and a 35-7 lead as Morgan converted. A few changes were made as yet another rare winter visitor Matt Hicklin trundled on for the last 20 minutes and home player Stu Mc Garragle guested for the opposition as they went down to 13 men. Several scoring chances came but they came and went in a flurry of forward chucks! from Price and Venencia primarily but not uniquely! The final denouement came as Alex Shaw scored his second try amidst the confusion of a touched Bournville clearance that should have been their lineout but they stopped, stood and watched as he scored Sutton’s final try, making the final score Sutton 42 Bournville 7.
Credit to Sutton for some fluent tries but much credit goes to Bournville for pushing the men in green hard, playing as they did with a man down all game. With both teams playing in the right spirit, it was an enjoyable game to play in and ultimately a good league win for the home team.