1st TEAM Match Report
Saturday 27th September 2003
LEAGUE : MIDLANDS 3 EAST (South)
WELLINGBOROUGH 1st XV: 14 LUTTERWORTH 1st XV: 19
Although invincible at home this season, Lutterworth’s away form has yet to be established. Wellingborough, recently relegated from Midlands Two, were expected to be a serious test for The Ashby lane Club. That expectation was proved correct in a close fought dual from which Lutterworth eventually ground out a narrow win.
Lutterworth’s key to unlocking the opposition is usually the superiority of the pack, on this occasion they found it hard to establish that superiority against an equally formidable Wellingborough eight. Indeed early momentum was gained by the home side with a penalty after 22 minutes followed by a disallowed try. After thirty minutes the game was on a knifedge until rampaging ‘Bull Wilford’ charged through the middle of the ‘Boro defence, deftly passed the ball to winger, Charlie Roberson who touched down under the posts. Tim Jeffs, by way of two successful penalty efforts, gave Lutterworth the lead but Wellingborough added another three points before the break, the half time score was 6 to 11.
Wellingborough came out all guns blazing after the break, and during a ten minute spell against Lutterworth’s fourteen (back row, Dave Stannard being confined to the sin bin) they took the lead by way of an unconverted try and another penalty. The Lutterworth pack began to dominate, the front three of Stevens, Riley and Wilford once again had an outstanding game with a match winning performance by second row, Adam Conway. With half an hour to go, super sub, Rob Sands came into the attack and gave Lutterworth extra impetus and in a nail biting finish Winger Phil Daffern scored in the corner and Jeffs slotted another penalty.
Coach, Dave Turner, took more satisfaction from this massive encounter than in the previous two relatively easy Lutterworth victories ‘This was a real test of our considerable abilities in all departments of the game, and a vindication of our club policy of persevering with young players such as new fly half, Jim Croucher, who has brought an extra dimension to the side’.