Late score denies Lymm

LYMM were left feeling “robbed” when they were edged out 28-31 by Broadstreet following a try deep in added time.
This was the second attempt to get this fixture played after Broadstreet turned up but didn’t fancy playing the previous week and the first team pitch was subsequently deemed unplayable. The first team pitch was still suffering this week so the match was moved to the beloved old pitch. The surface was dry and there was a strong wind blowing down the pitch towards the clubhouse end.
Lymm were at near full strength with just Tim Oakes missing. Sam Mullarkey returned to the match day squad for the first time this season and the squad is now beginning to look strong with options all around. All that Lymm were missing at kick-off was a winger, with Dave Williamson stuck at the airport, Sam Mullarkey was therefore forced into starting his come-back game on the wing, not what he was expecting.
As the game kicked-off the question was would Broadstreet fancy playing this week? Despite Lymm going ahead after only 3 minutes with a Cormack Nolan penalty, Broadstreet were already looking ominous and were clearly up for it. The Lymm scrum was struggling and Broadstreets powerful drives were making holes in the Lymm defence. Tim Oakes’ tree felling ability was being sorely missed. On 8 minutes from a short line-out, a result of Lymm straying off-side, the ball was gathered by Broadstreet and a simple drive exposed the blindside for the winger to run in unopposed. The conversion was missed leaving the score 5-3 to Broadstreet.
Lymm however weathered the early storm and with ball in hand began to pose Bradstreet problems. On 20 minutes a breakout on the right hand side led by winger Mullarkey and featuring great interchanges between the winger, Adam Bray and Andy Rowley saw Rowley go in at the corner. The try was superbly converted by Nolan and suddenly from been ‘backs against the wall’ Lymm were 10-5 up.
Straight from the kick-off Broadstreet came back, they were certainly up for playing this week and poor first-up tackling allowed Broadstreet deep into the Lymm 25. A quick tap penalty was interfered with by Jordan Widdrington and the prop received a yellow card. With ascendancy in the scrum and with Lymm a man down Broadstreet opted for the scrummage. Lymm managed to disrupt the scrum 3 or 4 times (why the referee didn’t award a penalty try is a mystery), but Lymm managed to hold up at the scrum only for the ball to be recycled through several phases before Broadstreet eventually went over out wide, 10-10. At this point is started to become clear that the referee was struggling with his decision making, the lack of communication with the players and strange hand signals didn’t help matters, but the pace and intensity of the game was beginning to show on the official.
Lymm came back again, roared on by the crowd and the forwards gave Broadstreet some of their own medicine driving into the Broadstreet pack, superbly led by Ollie Higginson. On 30 minutes after waves of drives, Lymm went over for a try deservedly clutched by Higginson.
The conversion was excellently slotted again by Nolan and Lymm now led by 17-10. For the remainder of the half Lymm were on top: another strong forward drive forced a penalty, which unfortunately Nolan couldn’t convert. Lymm finished the half in the ascendancy but would a 7-point lead be enough playing against the wind. Talk on the sideline was that it was a 10-point wind, time would tell………
Lymm started the second half as they had finished the first and a Broadstreet mistake gifted Lymm another penalty in-front of the posts, 20-10 to Lymm. Playing with the wind Broadstreet began to exert pressure and a scrambling defence led to a yellow card for Nolan for a deliberate knock-on. On 50 minutes the Broadstreet pressure told and they went over for a converted close quarter try to make it 20-17.
It was going to be a long-half and Lymm needed to get up the other end of the field. When they did they looked dangerous. For the next 15-minutes Lymm found some territory and Nolan slotted another penalty to make it 23-17. It was now Broadstreets turn to succumb to the pressure and loose a man to the bin. Lymm managed to capitalise and from a text book catch and drive Sion Williams went over after 65 minutes to make it 28-17. Suddenly with 15 minutes to go Lymm scented victory but Broadstreet are not top of the league for nothing and used the wind to peg Lymm back again. Broadstreet threw everything at Lymm but everyone defended valiantly. With under 10-minutes to go the defence finally cracked and the Broadstreet winger went under the posts for a converted try, 28-24.
Lymm needed to get up the other end, as they had shown they could come away with points when they did, but unfortunately Nolan, who had kicked superbly all day, failed to make 10 metres with the re-start. From the ensuing scrum Broadstreet kicked deep into the Lymm half and it was going to be backs to the wall for the rest of the game.
Lymm defended resolutely but the penalty count mounted and the referee, who now appeared ‘like a rabbit caught in the headlights’, only seemed able to detect infringements from the men in green and black. Broadstreet battered away and little ‘knock ons’ and obstructions were ignored and apparent Lymm offences continued to be pinged.
With no communication from the referee both sets of players were in a state of confusion. With 80 minutes long gone it was evident that the game would only end when Broadstreet crossed the line and sure enough with Sion Williams in the sin bin Broadstreet eventually crossed with the last play for a converted try to give them a 31-28 victory. It was a ten-point wind after all!
Lymm were left to feel cheated and it was instructive when the Broadstreet players and officials apologised for how the game ended and at the final whistle all the opposition players immediately ran to the referee to shake his hand.
Hats off to Broadstreet who certainly came to play this week and did so right to the end, they will take great heart from winning from behind in their push for promotion. And whilst the victory was cruel for Lymm this was a great performance from 1 to 15 and the way the team are playing and the strength of the returning squad means they are surely too good to go down? BUT to start to win games they must be more clinical when on top and even more importantly cut out the silly mistakes, which hand the initiative back to the opposition……..
Team
Rowley, Williamson, Dugdale, Bray, Nolan, Knowles,, Baker, Ashton, Bray, Widdrington, S. Williams, Yates, Darbyshire, K. Williams, Higginson, Mullarkey, McCormack, Millington.