2nd TEAM Match Report
Saturday 27th November 2004
Lutterworth 2nds 19pts V Leic Forest 2nds 17pts
Lutterworth 2nds were hosts to Loughborough 2nds in this Saturday afternoon friendly. The home side welcomed back their inspirational captain Bobby Williams, who had been missing from the squad to stand in for injured players in the first team.
From the kick off Lutts knew it was going to be a physical afternoon and got off to the worst possible start when the ball squirted out from a Lutterworth ruck into the opposition 22, a quick thinking Loughborough back line kicked the loose ball through behind the attack gathering to score under the posts which was converted. From the restart the ball went loose only to be gathered by the second row Iain Faulds to secure for the home side to build upon, but a turnover in the subsequent attack allowed Loughborough, with some quick thinking, to avoid a couple of tackles and score in the corner again being converted to see the home side 14 – 0 down in the first 15 minutes of the game. Lutterworth were determined not to loose their heads, slowing the game to a more workable pace and started to build a good platform for the team to run the ball at the opposition, and apart from a dubious call that allowed the visitors to score an additional three points, the rest of the half belonged to Lutterworth. Before half time Lutterworth were again camped on the Loughborough five-metre line and some dogged defence saw Lutts unable to score.
The second half saw the loss of Lutterworth’s industrious flanker Steve Lamb to a suspected broken finger. His replacement, Adrian Sheasby brought an immediate impact to the game in winning the ball from ruck, the Lutts pack then dominated the maul and secured ball for the backs to run. Down on the Loughborough 5 metre line the pick and drive was pulling in the opposition which allowed Lutterworth’s scrum half Sean Keogh to snipe close to the break down to claim the home sides first try which was subsequently converted by Bobby Williams.This a turning point in the game saw Lutterworth come right back at Loughborough with some determined running and rucking to play very quickly back into the opposition 22. A 10 minute sin bin for the Loughborough full back for repeated infringement allowed for a Lutts penalty, a decision made to try for five points saw Duncan Carter take the ball on, and supported by the rest of the forwards secured ball for a pick and drive towards the line. A further ruck ensued and on the line and Lutterworth got the ball back to Max “Seal”, a newcomer to the club from South Africa, who dived over to score his first try for Lutterworth. Again Williams converted.
In the final quarter a pickup from the back of a scrum by Lutts No 8 John Dalby gave the home side opportunity for a final try, a good run followed with a chip kick through for the faster back line to run on to, and a fumble by the opposition allowed Lutterworth to come in at full speed, Bobby Williams picked up from the base of a ruck five metres out crossing the line for a score. Unfortunately Williams was unable to convert his own try and the final score was 19 – 17.