2nd TEAM Match Report
Saturday 11th December 2004
Old Newtonians 2nds 5pts V Lutterworth 2nds 19pts
The return match of this league fixture was held at the Old Newts ground at Leicester Forest. Yet another strong team was fielded from Lutterworth, who wanted to make sure that old Newts did not want to make amends for the 50 drubbing that Lutterworth put on them earlier in the season.
From the whistle Lutterworth received the kick and immediately went on the attack but some silly infringements meant that the home side had the advantage. Old newts Kicked for position and went down in the Lutterworth 22 within the first fifteen minutesFrom the base of a scrum the old Newts broke blind and tried to go for the line, when Flanker and acting captain Steve Lamb, put his body on the line to stop the driving maul. The ensuing maul then collapsed leaving Lamb at the bottom with his leg twisted at an odd angle. While Lamb was being assisted by the first aid and considering whether he could continue the old Newts took a quick penalty and there number eight made a dash for the line, and touched down for the there one and only try.
Lamb was replaced by the unstoppable Adrian Sheasby who made his presence felt in the first couple of minutes of being on the pitch, winning some stunning turnover ball. Lutterworth picked them selves up well after the old Newts score and returned play to the other end of the pitch with some rucking and excellent kicking from Roger Clark. Old Newts then gave a penalty in there own 22 and hooker Phil Duffin slotted the penalty home to put Lutterworth on the score board. Duffin added a further penalty later in the half to put Lutterworth in the lead at half time.
Lutterworth made some substitutions in the second half bringing on their two South African visitors in the centre and the second row. Things were slowly beginning to go Lutterworths way with the ref having to talk to the old Newts on a number of occasions for there style of play. Lutterworth knew keeping there discipline would result in calls going in there favor.
While down in the old Newts 5 meter area the old Newts continued to kill the ball, Lutts made there feelings known and the outcome of which saw a player from each side being sent to the bin for 10 minutes. While down to 14 men there was no score with both sides defending relentlessly. When Lutterworth were back to full strength, the South African Second row Johan van Niekerkwesthuzen took a pass from the back of a maul and steam rollered his way through the opposition until three men tackled him deep in there own 22. Lutterworth were awarded a scrum close to the old Newts line, the ball was won and the scrum solid. Scrum half Andrew Hall was given clean ball and one quick pass to his right put the winger Iain Faulds, who is normally seen in the second row, over in the corner after driving low for the line. This score was not converted.A couple of minutes later after another couple of blistering runs from the South African pair saw centre Jim Sercombe over on the left hand side to score Lutterworth’s second try. This was not converted.
Late in the half Lutterworth were awarded a penalty in front of the posts and Duffin easily kicked the last 3oint of the game to finish with a 5 – 19 away win.