Birkenhead Park 15, Lymm 35. Report by Simon Plumb
THE history between these two sides goes back many years. Those Lymm supporters in the crowd with the longest memories will remember the Cheshire Cup clashes in the early 1970s, before leagues were formed. Lymm were then, very much the “Junior” club compared with their hosts, who were formed in 1871. Since the formation of leagues, Lymm (formed in 1960), have become a respected and competitive rugby presence, more than able to hold their own at RFU National League level.
On a sunny, cold and blustery January afternoon, a very young Lymm team faced an injury-hit Birkenhead Park, (if the programme notes are to be believed). But youth at Lymm means great strength in depth and so it proved.
On a surprisingly firm, flat pitch Richard Halford, in the centre this day, opened the scoring after four minutes, following great build-up play on the left, duly converted by right wing Richard McEvoy. The conditions suited such a fleet-footed team who appear to have re-found their running game.
Park could not live with the opening exchanges as Ollie Higginson, at blind side, seemingly back to near his best after a long layoff with a shoulder injury, romped through the Park defence from 30m out, and fed former colt Will Baldwin, playing in the second row, who scored near the posts. With eight minutes gone Lymm were now 14-0 up.
Park were taking time to settle but Lymm got in the groove very quickly, looking confident with ball in hand. This was undermined however, when defending their own line out deep in Lymm’s twenty two. To throw long on a blustery day seemed like a daft decision, compounded when the Park scrum half picked up the spilt ball and scored. 14-7 after 15mins.
Lymm clearly felt they could score from anywhere on the pitch and made many inroads but the game’s turning point came towards the end of the half. Park were hammering the Lymm line but, as on many occasions this season, the defence on their own line was astonishingly good. Time and again the big home forwards surged towards the whitewash and were repeatedly repelled.
With very little of the half left Lymm burst out and the ball passed through many sets of hands for left wing Cormac Nolan to score wide out on the left which McEvoy duly converted – an inspiring piece of rugby from the visitors, showing determined defence and great flair in attack. There was still time for Park to convert a penalty giving a half time score of 21-10.
After some questionable kicking games, this observer is pleased to report Joe Knowles at full-back has re-found his kicking game, pinning Park back by using the changeable wind at his back. Tom Baker at scrum half damaged his arm early in the second half to be replaced by Tom Shard, who brought sharpness and a cutting edge to the game.
Park, recognising the best attacking option was through the forwards, stuffed the ball up their jumpers and bludgeoned into the Lymm side. This was not a winning strategy as Lymm proved more than up to the task. But while Park showed ability in keeping the ball, the visitors kept losing it when on the attack. For long periods Lymm were defending but then Shard, like a Jigsaw blade, cut through the defence to feed McEvoy who trotted in from 25m out, then duly converted – 28-10.
A sustained and determined attack from Park eventually meant they scored the try they deserved – 28-15 with 10 minutes to go. McEvoy then repaid the debt to his scrum half by breaking through and feeding Shard who scored near the posts on the right. McEvoy successfully completed a 100 per cent kicking return to conclude the scoring at 35-15.
Coach Adam Fletcher was sanguine but pleased with his team’s performance. “I am happy to get the five point win with a side which had to be changed from my initial selection. We left a few points out there but, for such a young side, I am delighted. We can look forward now and hopefully, get a good run of results for here on in.”
Lymm now move up to seventh place with games in hand. Next week, Lymm are at home for their rearranged fixture versus Hull. KO 2.15pm
Team: 1) Jordan Widdrington, 2) Dan Horton, 3) Mike Auden, 4) Aaron Rasheed, 5) Will Baldwin, 6) Ollie Higginson, 7) Ross White, 8) Adam Bray (C), 9) Tom Baker, 10) Tom Bray, 11) Richard McEvoy, 12) Richard Halford, 13) Callum Harris, 14) Cormac Nolan, 15) Joe Knowles, 16) Jack Harper, 17) Tom Shard, 18) James Yates.
RAGING BULL NORTH WEST INTERMEDIATE LEAGUES
Bateman BMW Conference A League
Lymm 2nd XV 24 Caldy 2nd XV 29 Report: Malcolm Pritchard
In difficult conditions both sides produced an excellent game of open rugby which could have gone either way. The young Lymm side competed manfully with the powerful, experienced Caldy side who were the best side Lymm have played this season.
Lymm kicked off with the wind slightly behind them and soon were on the defensive as Caldy went through the phases, using their large forwards to get over the gain line. Lymm defended well but from a scrum 15 metres out and a strike against the head, Caldy moved the ball quickly to the wing to score a try which was excellently converted from the touch line (0-7).
At this stage it looked as if Caldy would run away with the game but Lymm responded well using aggressive defence to good effect. When they had the ball they kept the ball alive, maintaining possession by controlled offloading in the tackle. Eventually, from a line out 10 metres out the forwards controlled the drive well for Nick Ashton to score a try, which Rhys Jones converted well from the touch line by judging the wind well (7-7).
Lymm maintained the pressure but Caldy defended well and then turned the game again in their favour by scoring an unconverted try (7-12). They pounded away at the Lymm defence until half time but with Matt Hill and Kieron Williams to the fore they kept them out. Half-time: 7-12.
Lymm started the second half against the wind and things looked difficult when Caldy scythed through the middle to score a converted try (7-19). However, Lymm then produced their best Rugby of the season by playing the game at pace, recycling the ball well and supporting the ball carrier. They were denied a try after 15 phases, when they were held up over the line. However from the resultant scrum and five phases later, Mark Wells sped in on the left for Rhys Jones to convert (14-19). Caldy reverted to their forwards, driving up the pitch but Lymm increased their intensity in defence and started to match Caldy on the gain line. It was after a period of good defence that Oli Lancaster intercepted and showed a clean pair heels from 50 metres to level the scores with 15 minutes to go (19-19). It was anyone’s game but Caldy used their experience and strong forwards to pressurise Lymm and after repeated drives at the Lymm line they kicked a penalty (19-22). 5 minutes later they were in the Lymm 22 again and eventually drove over for a converted try (19-29). At this stage it looked like Caldy had the game won but Lymm were not finished and after an excellent passage of play Lymm moved the ball around and good hands by Rob Makin put Matt Hill over for an unconverted try (24-29). There was still five minutes left for Lymm to win the game but the experienced Caldy side kept play in Lymm’s 22 and with the last play Lymm nearly broke away with a Rhys Jones cross kick which was just out of Dave Williamson’s reach. Full time: 24-29
Lymm produced an excellent performance, growing in confidence as the game progressed, playing a brand of attacking Rugby linked with aggressive defence in difficult conditions. There were many stand out performances with everyone putting their hand up in defence but it was Matt Hill and Kieron Williams who led the charge with aggressive defence helping Lymm to gain parity.
Next Saturday, Lymm 2’s are away against Sedgley Park 2’s.
Team: 15) D Williamson, 14) O Thornton, 13) S Gough, 12) R Jones (C), 11) M Wells, 10) O Lancaster, 9) C Owens, 8) P Jennings, 7) K Williams, 6) A Nolan, 5) M Hill, 4) J Long, 3) N Ashton, 2) R Makin, 1) K O’Callaghan, Replacements: M Gough, J Pilkington.
Division 3 South League
Old Bedians 1st XV 29 Lymm 3rd XV 15
Division 4 South League
Crewe & Nantwich 3rd XV 43 Lymm 4th XV 7.
