Points secured at Beechmud

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LYMM Rugby Union required a last minute “pitch switch” to ensure their game against Bedford Athletic took place at the weekend as they triumphed 26-15 against the basement club.
The unrelenting rain of the past few weeks had cast a serious doubt over Lymm’s home fixture with Bedford Athletic on Saturday. The hard work of the Grounds team resulted in a collective sigh of relief when, early on Saturday morning, the match was confirmed and Bedford were given the go-ahead to embark on the longest away trip in the League.
However, the weather still had a sting in the tail when a huge storm in the hour before kick-off necessitated the match being moved from its designated pitch. It was plain for all to see, though, that the weather and heavy pitch were going to have more than just a passing influence on the way the match was played. Whilst there was no rain during the match the pitch was very wet and the strong, at times bitingly cold, cross wind made for an uncomfortable afternoon for players and spectators alike.
Bedford travelled north to play Lymm for the first time rooted to the foot of the table without a win. However, as Coach Kinsey had commented in the lead up to the match, their results were getting better and they had run some of the League’s leading teams close; he felt that they would win a match soon – and was just hoping it wasn’t against Lymm!
Lymm’s pack was unchanged from the previous week – probably the first time that has happened all season! There was, though, some reshuffling in the backs with Joe Knowles “Italian Job” necessitating that Tom Bray filled in at 10; David Williamson coming in at centre for his first match back from injury which had seen him out for many weeks (I’m sure when he saw the conditions he must have felt a twinge somewhere….); and Jack Worton completed the changes replacing the recuperating Matthew Barnes-Smith on the wing. Wisdom was added to the bench in the form of Chris Kinsey.
Lymm started strongly and had by far the best of the first 10 minutes, looking good in possession and pressurising Bedford when they had the ball with strong defence. Jack Worton showed his opposite number the outside and almost scored in the corner; and then followed this up with a kick though and chase sliding towards the ball as it rolled tantalisingly close to the in-goal line. The referee hesitated and then, seeing Trevor Fisher perfectly placed on the bank behind the posts, to the great amusement of all, signalled for the TV replay! The try was correctly ruled out. However, despite this pressure it was Bedford who put the first points on the board – converting a simple penalty on their first real trip into Lymm territory (0-3).
After a rather ambitious (in the conditions) penalty attempt, Lymm finally got off the mark when a period of sustained forward pressure and a dominant scrum led to Bedford halting a pushover try illegally resulting in a penalty try, Cormac Nolan converting 7-3. This period of play had shown Lymm that forward power was likely to be the way to win the match and it was no surprise when on 34 minutes, man of the match Olli Higginson dotted down following an excellently controlled period of forward play. No conversion this time – 12-3 to Lymm, and the prospects of both a win and 4 tries looking possible.
However, Bedford are a competitive side from start to finish and dusted themselves off and now enjoyed their most productive period of the match. A penalty miss was quickly followed by a try on 39 minutes when their right winger exploited the overlap created by a strong mid-field break to score under the posts. Half-time 12-10 to Lymm.
With conditions getting no better and both teams looking more like each other with every minute that passed the second half was always going to be attritional and not very pretty – so it proved. Lymm edged further ahead (15-10) with a Nolan penalty on 41 minutes but it was all square 4 minutes later when Bedford scored in the corner following a couple of close range drives (15-15). Lymm probably felt a little hard done to in the lead up to this feeling that they had taken two scrums against the head – only to be penalised or for the scrum to be reset.
Whilst the remainder of the match was unglamorous, Lymm always appeared to be in control and enjoyed the best of both possession and territory.
This allowed Nolan to convert further penalties on 52 and 64 minutes for Lymm to regain and then extend their lead to 21-15. As the game progressed Bedford relied on the occasional relieving kick to give their defence some respite. In the end Lymm’s forward power and patience (a much underrated commodity!) combined for Tim Oakes to score with what proved to be the final act of the match. Lymm 26-15.
At the final whistle it appeared that the conditions and weather had sapped all the energy from every player, so it was good to see that they all then
still managed to run back to the relative warmth and comfort of the changing rooms.
A good performance by Lymm, from which they will take great confidence into their fixture in 2 weeks, at Bourneville.

Team: 15) Andy Rowley, 14) Cormac Nolan, 13) Dave Williamson, 12) Adam Fletcher, 11) Jack Worton, 10) Tom Bray, 9) Tom Baker, 1) Joe Cooper, 2) Adam Bray, 3) Jordan Widdrington, 4) Sion Williams, 5) James Yates, 6) Tim Oakes, 7) Kieron Williams, 8) Olli Higginson (C). Subs: Harvey McCormack, John Millington, Chris Kinsey.


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Experienced journalist for more than 40 years. Managing Director of magazine publishing group with three in-house titles and on-line daily newspaper for Warrington. Experienced writer, photographer, PR consultant and media expert having written for local, regional and national newspapers. Specialties: PR, media, social networking, photographer, networking, advertising, sales, media crisis management. Chair of Warrington Healthwatch Director Warrington Chamber of Commerce Patron Tim Parry Johnathan Ball Foundation for Peace. Trustee Warrington Disability Partnership. Former Chairman of Warrington Town FC.

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