1st TEAM Match Report
Saturday 19th January 2008
League Match
LUTTERWORTH 1st : 12pts V Wellingborough 1st 16pts
Earlier in the season Lutterworth suffered a heavy defeat against todays visitors Wellingborough Town who, since then, have lifted themselves to second place in the league. A potentially tough challenge was therefore in store for the Lutterworth side today. With the home team giving debuts to two of their successful Colts side , and fielding a revamped and young backline, there was plenty of interest for another large gathering of supporters.
From the outset it was clear that this Lutterworth side were in a determined mood, and supporters were to enjoy an excellent team performance with the home side dominating the opposition for long periods of the game. During the first half in fact Wellingborough hardly managed to venture into the Lutterworth half as the home forwards maintained constant pressure giving the visitors little opportunity to spread the ball wide to their dangerous looking threequarters. This pressure inevitably led to scoring opportunities for Lutterworth but despite some enterprising play they could not find a way to score. Difficult wet conditions probably accounted for two dropped passes near the opposition line when tries seemed certain – and deserved. Totally against the run of play it was though Wellingborough who took the lead when, during their first excursion deep into Lutterwoth territory, a fine piece of quick ball from a ruck left space for their outside centre to cruise through Lutterworths stretched defence for the first try. With the conversion succeeding the home side found themselves 0-7 down after 20 mins.
The Wellingborough threes were now beginning to find some space although needing to run from deep in their half as the home pack ramped up the pressure particularly at scrums and rucks. Again a score was conceded though when, during another rare visit to the Lutterworth half, a penalty kick was converted making the score 0-10. Perhaps feeling the injustice of this scoreline the Lutterworth forwards immediately drove the opposition back to their tryline and following sustained pressure were rewarded with a 5 metre scrum which they promptly shunted over the line for a well deserved try. Conversion missed – half time score 5-10
The second half continued much in the same vein as the first with play being almost exclusively in Wellingborough territory at least for the first 20 mins or so. During this time Lutterworth pressure was rewarded with a further pushover try as their forwards totally destroyed the opposition scrum driving them backwards over the tryline with No8 Dennis Hall once again claiming the touchdown. With the conversion the score was now 12-10 in Lutterworths favour and with their forwards by now totally dominant a win was there for the taking. A reckless piece of indiscipline straight from the kick off however gave Wellinborough a long range penalty which their fly half, who had a very good game behind a struggling pack, converted superbly to snatch back the lead, 12-13.
At this point with 20 mins still to go and Lutterworths forwards causing the opposition all sorts of problems at scrum time this absorbing contest took a contentious turn when one of the Wellingborough props withdrew from the game. Having already replaced one prop and with no other front row replacement this meant that the referee had no option but to order uncontested scrums, and as 60 mins had by now been played there could be no question of Wellingborough conceding the match points. Was this a genuine injury or a cynical ploy by Wellingborough to nullify the strength of Lutterworths forward power, which was looking a good bet to win this game for the home side ? The Lutterworth supporters were in no doubt and were very vocal in showing their disapproval ! Whatever the truth this action did allow Wellingborough to enjoy some clean possession and the game now became very evenly matched with neither side being able to cross the white line but penalty chances were there for both. Unfortunately Lutterworth were unable to convert theirs but once again the Wellingborough fly half struck an excellent conversion of a not too easy chance to secure the win for his side with a final score of 12-16
Lutterworth will wonder how they lost a game during which they enjoyed so much pressure and possession, and scored two tries to one The supporters though will feel very encouraged at seeing such a good performance against high flying opposition. Great performance from the forwards in particular , with Paul Riley earning special praise for an outstanding game.
Special mention also for the two young colts making 1st team debuts. Flanker Richard Bailey and fullback Ben Hooper both had excellent games in key field positions with Richard's workrate around the park contributing to a dominant forwards performance, and Ben giving an assured display with safe hands and confident use of the ball. Well done to both.
Scoring: 0-7; 0-10, 5-10; 12-10; 12-13; 12-16
Team: Wilford Riley Stevens
Gregory Evans
Conway Hall Bailey
Court Bell
Stretton Nolan Perry Daffern
Hooper
Reps: Croucher, Williams, Johnson