Lymm return to winning ways – just!

ON a cold, sunny and windless day in East Yorkshire, on a soggy pitch, Lymm faced bottom of the league Beverley in what proved to be a close encounter.
If Lymm had any ambitions for a high finish in this league a convincing win would be needed, but that was not to be the case this day.
A penalty opportunity for right wing Cormac Nolan to the visitors could have eased them into an early lead after three minutes, but he missed. The referee, a difficult job at any time, was quick to penalise both sides all afternoon, when perhaps leeway and playing the advantage would have resulted in a more flowing game. Lymm, as last week, were not clinical in the early stages and could have built a significant lead in the first half but were sloppy and technically poor at times, so chances went begging.
Good hands in midfield and a fine break from full back Joe Knowles saw him come close in the corner. The subsequent pressure gave Nolan another penalty chance near the posts which he took, 3-0.
Richard McEvoy, the left wing, looking dangerous with the ball in his hands as ever, also came close but Lymm failed to turn position and possession into points. After thirty minutes Beverley decided it was their turn, having repelled wave after wave of Lymm attacks. A fine break from the Beverley centre Morris, crashing through Emmitt’s tackle saw him score under the posts, for Duboulay to convert, 7-3.
This seemed to spark the visitors into action and immediately, following good, straight running and passing, Knowles counter attached from deep after a wayward kick, and, with McEvoy and Dugdale in support, went over for a fine try wide out which Nolan superbly converted after 38 minutes. 7-10, bringing to an end, an error-strewn first half.
The technical fallibility of Lymm, in many areas of play, may prove fatal against stronger teams and it needs addressing but they got away with it today. Ten minutes into the second half Beverley levelled the score with a penalty from 30m out at 10-10 and this seemed to bolster the home side’s confidence, as they played with more intent at this time.
Lymm hooker, Dan Horton, then took a scrum against the head and fast hands released Nolan on the right, who streaked 70m to score under the posts, rounding the full back with ease. When his tail is up there are very few classier runners than the right wing. 10-17.
All this good work was undone when open side Sam Mullarkey dropped the kick off giving Beverley an attacking scrum deep in the Lymm half, from which they eventually scored. The Beverley fly half must have a career in sales because the entire back line bought his outrageous dummy to allow him to score near the posts and level the score at 17-17.
Frustration was now playing a part and the ref gave no-one the benefit of the doubt, failing to play the advantage, but at least it was for both sides. Lymm began to play with greater ambition and could sense a win if they could only put a few phases together. Once again the advantage lay in the back division but so little ball was finding its way out there.
Handling in the scrum eventually gave Nolan the chance to put Lymm in front with a penalty which he took, 20-17 with 8 minutes to go. Beverley then threw the kitchen sink at Lymm, seeking their first win in nine weeks, and kicked for the corner when a converted penalty would have brought the scores level.
Credit to them for this and at least they got a bonus point but the hosts are now staring down the barrel in this league. Lymm’s defence kept Beverley at bay as the whistle went in the gloom, and the visitors crept over the line at 20-17.
‘A wins a win’ commented coach Adam Fletcher pragmatically. ‘We didn’t just come down to their level, we went beneath it, but it’s four points’, he added. Skipper Sion Williams was kinder. ‘This was a more mature performance than in recent weeks and we will get better,’ he predicted.
They will need to as they face second placed Sale FC away at Heywood Road in the semi final of the Cheshire Cup on Thursday 18/12/14, kick-off at 7.30pm.
Team: 1) Mike Auden; 2) Dan Horton; 3) Jordan Widdrington; 4) Alex Kaihau; 5) Sion Williams (C); 6) Sam Mullarkey; 7) Ross White; 8) Adam Bray; 9) Tom Baker; 10) Tom Bray; 11) Richard McEvoy; 12) Giles Dugdale; 13) Luke Emmitt; 14) Cormac Nolan; 15) Joe Knowles; 16) Tom Shard; 17) Aaron Rashid; 18) Richard Halford