2nd TEAM Match Report
Saturday 8th January 2005
Syston 2nds 14pts V Lutterworth 2nds 65pts
The first game after the Christmas break saw Lutterworth visit Syston, a side known to be difficult to beat. The weather was extremely windy which Lutterworth knew would make the afternoon interesting.
Lutterworth got of to a flying start with the wind possibly going in their favour. The rucking and mauling was ferocious. Lutterworth kept the ball moving forwards and apart from a couple of handling errors the first quarter was all Lutterworth. Dennis Hall, in his first game back since breaking his hand, was inspirational from the base of the scrum and linking well with scrum-half Andrew Hall to all ways make the gain line. The pressure paid off with Dennis going over for the first score. Ivan Bills converted.Lutterworth came straight back taking the ball on from a maul and with some slick passing and ball recycling, Duncan Carter went over to score. This was not converted. The third try came quickly, when the back row took the ball on time and again linking with the rest of the pack and were soon down deep in the 22. Some determined defence from Syston slowed the ball up on the line but eventually Ed Ranson went over to score. Syston had a good passage of play which saw Lutterworth give away some penalties in quick succession to allow Syston into Lutterworth’s 22. A quick tap penalty was taken that caught Lutterworth off guard to score. This was converted.
Lutterworth came straight back with Iain Faulds winning a Syston lineout; Dennis Hall and Ian Jones then took the ball up field, both making serious yards. The ever-present Adrian Sheasby picked the ball from the base of a ruck and made for the try line, he was tackled five yards out but was able to pop the ball to Iain Faulds who went over to score under the posts. Ivan Bills converted.
From the restart play soon returned to the Syston 22. Jim Sercombe was stopped close to the line and a maul formed. Lutterworth pushed the maul over the try line but there was no way of getting the ball down until the industrious Adrian Sheasby burrowed in and came out with the ball, all he had to do was fall to the floor to score. Halftime the score was 7 - 29The second half went much the same way as the first. The Luttreworth pack taking the ball deep into the Syston half. Ten metres short of the line Ivan Bills received the ball from a ruck and jinxed his way through the defence to score. Bills converted his try.Lutterworth made a few substitutions to bring some fresh legs on the pitch. The effect was immediate. The ball was passed to new wing Dan Sheasby who jinxed and weaved through the defence to score with his first touch of the game. Dan was later unlucky not to have scored two further tries but the final pass on both occasions were deemed to have been forward. Dennis Hall scored another scintillating try with some well-run moves and linking up again with his brother Andrew. Luke Key converted.
After the restart Lutterworth tried to run the ball from deep. The ball was turned over in the tackle and the Syston attack was up very quick. They were able to recycle the ball to allow the outside centre to run around the Lutterworth winger and to run in the try. This was converted.Lutterworth didn’t let this minor distraction affect them and came straight back with Luke Key taking a brace of tries quickly and one he was able to convert.The best try of the game came from a penalty move forty yards out. The wind in Lutterworth’s faces the decision was to run the ball. The ball was passed to Duncan Carter and as he ran the defence parted like the Red Sea and he ran in the try unopposed. This was not converted but the Final score was 14 – 65 to Lutterworth.