Report by Simon Plumb
On a blustery but dry day, following some light rain, Lymm entertained Kirkby Lonsdale for their inaugural fixture. Both sides play an open, running style and it was to prove an interesting encounter to see who would gain the upper hand in difficult conditions.
The mid-table, recently promoted Cumbrians were in no mood to be walked all over and threw the gauntlet down in a spirited fashion by opening the scoring with a try under the sticks after 10 minutes, 7-0. This had followed a powerful surge by their forwards who had crossed the line minutes before but were deemed to be held up.
An earlier penalty shot by full back Cormac Nolan, illustrated how difficult the wind was to be all afternoon by misjudging his kick. In the early exchanges, tackling was ferocious and Lymm started to move the ball left to right and back again. This pressure eventually created an attacking line out and space for second row, the huge Matty Connelly, to bludgeon his way over the whitewash, 7-7 after 20 minutes following Nolan’s conversion.
Lymm entered the next phase of the game with great confidence, believing they could ease away from their opponents with fast hands and faster feet. Always quick out of the blocks, a number of golden opportunities were created, only for the last pass not to go to hand. At one point danger-man, right wing Richard McEvoy, caught a KL kick at full pelt and broke a number of tackles. Following this momentum, scrum half Andy Davies nipped through a tiny gap but his final pass went to ground with the try line begging.
To say Lymm should have been out of sight understates the situation but a good charge-down by the ever-present Centre Tom Bray allowed him to win the sprint to the ball and score, duly converted by Nolan, 14-7 with minutes of the half remaining. There was still time for KL to take a penalty shot at goal but this was missed and Mr James blew for half-time.
The wind continued to play tricks and it depended where you stood on the side-line to assess in whose favour it was. However, Lymm started the second half in spritely fashion, quick hands eventually releasing that man McEvoy again, who skilfully chipped through and won the foot race to score near the posts, followed by a huge cheer from the home support, Nolan converting. A great try that was the highlight of the match! 21-7 after 43 minutes. Talisman prop, Gav Woods then left field with a knee injury and was replaced by Jordan Widdrington.
KL then returned the charge-down favour in Lymm’s 22 and nearly scored themselves, but for the scrambling Lymm defence. Just when the crowd had been impressed all game by Prop, Dan Horton’s throwing in and No 8 Ollie Higginson’s catching at the line-out, the wind got its own back and the line out wheels came off. However the second attacking line-out was won well and Lymm created another peach of a chance only for McEvoy to overrun his centre and drop the try scoring pass.
Prop Jordan Widdrington was yellow carded on the hour mark, for an offence we will never know anything about, because the ref’s signals to the crowd were completely absent and had been all game. Lymm looked increasingly dangerous with ball in hand but butchered chance after chance. Hooker Adam Bray was removed from the fray with some Halloween blood dripping off his head, which subsequently required stitches.
KL attempted a comeback but a combination of poor handling and continued ferocious defence kept them at bay. There had been parity in the set pieces but, following an attacking line out, KL expertly organised a successful rolling maul and scored with 10 minutes left on the clock, duly converted, 21-14 and game on. Spurred on by this momentum KL went for the equalising score and the tension mounted in the Lymm ranks. It was a strong finish by the visitors but not strong enough, as Lymm held out till the final whistle.
‘A win’s a win,’ commented star player Ollie Higginson in the bar after the match. ‘We made hard work of it to be honest and it was all a bit scrappy. I think we were happy to come off the pitch with 4 points but left the bonus point out there by missing a few tries.’
A KL spokesman commented ‘Together with Ilkley, Lymm are the best side they have played, playing an entertaining, open style of rugby, which is what the game should be about.’
Next Saturday Lymm travel to 7th placed Rossendale, KO 2:15pm
Squad: 1) Gav Woods, 2) Adam Bray (C), 3) Dan Horton, 4) Matty Connelly, 5) Joe Watson, 6) Sam Mullarkey, 7) Alli Sutherland, 8) Olli Higginson, 9) Andy Davies, 10) Scott Redfern, 11) Lucas Titherington, 12) Tom Bray, 13) James Kimber, 14) Richard McEvoy, 15) Cormac Nolan,
16) Jordan Widdrington, 17) Joe Denman, 18) Jake Ashall.
Referee: Mr Joe James – London Society
