Under 16 Match Report
Sunday 9th March 2008
Lutterworth 17pts v Derby 10pts
A very sunny dry day with a slight wind made conditions for rugby perfect. Derby RFC brought a very large pack, so an interesting game was about to start.
It was Lutterworth who were first on attack and within two minutes they took the lead when scrum half Dann picked up the ball and sent a deft kick towards the line for Calum Johal to run on to and cross over in the corner for the first score of the day. Elliot Bale kicked the conversion from the side with an inch perfect kick and from that moment the Lutterworth squad never looked back, 7 – 0. Chris Goodfellow was winning all the line outs and Derby looked to have no answer to this. Dann, Hargreaves, Ingam were having great games but the game was being slowed down with Derby wanting to power their way through instead of running with the ball, indeed Lutts forwards dominated the scrums and were playing a mauling game which is not usually their style. Dann was sin binned for ten when the ref took exception to him trying to separate two players from fighting, a rather strange decision but maybe one Alex will learn from. Just before the half time whistle blew, Derby who had been on their 22 for large periods of the half, sent a kick straight down field and their winger Thompson ran through and scored to send the both teams in with the score 7 – 5 to Lutterworth.
The Lutts boys continued where they left off in the second half half and it was not long before they extended their lead. Lutts were awarded a penalty and the reliable Bale delivered a great kick to take the score to 10 – 5. Derby got the bit between their teeth and was for the first time in the match pushing forward and it wasn’t long before they got their rewards again a kick forward saw Vlod Surma sprint through collect the ball and dummy two Lutts lads to go under the posts. With the conversion this leveled the score to 10 – 10. Lutts were not finished however and Barker and Bruce who came on in the second half added a little pace to the squad and kept Lutterworth on the attack. The game ebbed and flowed but Lutterworth always looked in control and indeed with five minutes to go, Ingham picked up the ball and sent Hargreaves on his way. George powered through three men and was just going to be confronted on the line when up popped Goodfellow to receive the ball and run through from 20 metres to put the ball under the posts, with the conversion from Bale Lutts ran out deserved 17 – 10 victors.
Coaches Comments: "Forwards played extremely well and never let Derby get into our half Derby are a big club and this was a big win for us. Just one criticism do not get involved in Mauls Ruck more, we play better when we Ruck, take that on board for the county cup which is only weeks away"
Man of the Match: Forwards: Goodfellow Backs: Bale