Gutsy Lymm fall short at Sale

WITH an early morning pitch inspection confirming that the match was on, the Lymm contingent headed off on the short journey to Heywood Road for their third meeting of the season against League high-flyers, Sale.
Much like their two previous encounters, the outcome of this entertaining and competitive fixture turned on a couple of brief spells when the Sale backs showed their class and clinical execution.
The Lymm team once again showed a number of changes with prop Mike Auden’s return from injury compensating for Nick Ashton’s unavailability; Andrew Kerr made his debut in the back row; Luke Emmitt formed another centre partnership with James Boaden; and relative novice wingers Jake Ecclestone and Richard Halford formed a back three with Joe Knowles.
From the kick-off, Lymm applied early pressure and were rewarded with a penalty in front 25m out. A highly kickable penalty to get Lymm’s scoring underway. What followed next was, well, quite bizarre as it transpired that the kicking tee was back in the changing room and having elected to “take the points” and with time running out, Emmitt was forced to take a drop kick, which narrowly missed. Who knows what would have happened had the tee been pitchside and the kick converted….
The next scoreless 20 minutes set the tone for the rest of the match, with the Lymm pack competing aggressively, gaining the ascendency in the set pieces and refusing to take a backward step whilst the Sale backs looked very dangerous – combining the guile of McGovern, the experience and class of Mayor with the pace and trickery of Connolly and Moorhouse. Then followed a short but decisive period in the match.
On 20 minutes Knowles, Lymm’s outstanding back on the day, collecting the ball in his own 22 made a classy break through the heart of the Sale midfield but, with options either side and the try line beckoning, his pass went to ground on the Sale 22. From the resultant scrum, Sale spread the ball wide with precision and pace to create an overlap for speedy winger Connolly, who accepted the opportunity with alacrity to touch down under the posts. 7-0 to Sale. Then, 4 minutes later, Lymm had an attacking lineout on the Sale 22, but a missed throw, turnover ball and the Sale backs delivered an almost carbon-copy try, this time with Mayor making the touchdown – 14-0. So in 4 minutes 2 converted tries, both of which could have been considered “14 pointers”, and the Lymm contingent, a number of whom commented that “Sale looked more dangerous on their own 22 than they did on Lymm’s”, feared the worse.
However, Lymm regrouped and pretty much dominated the remainder of the half. A number of opportunities in the “red zone” went begging due to over-exuberance at the breakdown, a knock-on or a forced pass, and George Boaden made a great solo break which fell just short of the whitewash. Then, as the half was coming to an end, Lymm finally got their just desserts. Growing in confidence, kickable penalty opportunities were spurned for an attacking lineout and then a scrum, from which Adam Bray powered over. With Knowles adding the extras, Lymm went into the “shed” realising that they were very definitely in the match.
As often happens though, “oranges” can halt momentum and so it proved for Lymm as 2 minutes after the restart, the dancing feet of McGovern created an opportunity which the running line and pace of Mayor turned into a 7 pointer. 21-7 and the endeavour of the period before halftime had been cancelled out. But Lymm came back and once again created a number of chances, the most promising of which followed a barnstorming line bust by centre James Boaden, which again faltered when the ball went to ground. The Sale claimed their 4th, and his third, when Mayor went over on 55 minutes. 28-7.
Lymm then had their best period of the match and, on 60 minutes, scored their best try which followed a sustained period of pressure and continued recycling of the ball where, after over 20 phases, the Sale defence finally proved too thin and Knowles danced through a gap to touchdown under the posts – 28-14.
Sale, with their try bonus point secure, then elected to take points on offer and, on 66 minutes, extended their lead to 17 when McGovern slotted home from 20m – 31-14. Again Lymm came back and finished the match in the ascendency when continued pressure on the Sale defence resulted in Ecclestone crossing in the corner in what proved to be the last act of the match. 31-19
The mood in the Lymm camp after the match was positive after a much improved performance. This season the team appears to have saved its best performances for matches against the better teams in the League, then faltered against teams from whom it should, on paper at least, take points. This is clearly something that has to change in the remainder of the season. So, back to the bar where a convivial atmosphere prevailed given the presence of so many past players who, in their careers, had pulled on the shirts of both Lymm and Sale.
Next Saturday Lymm are at home to Rossendale KO 2.15pm
Team: 1) Mike Auden; 2) Ross White; 3) Jordan Widdrington; 4) Alex Kaihau; 5) Sion Williams(c); 6) Andrew Kerr; 7) Jake Ashall; 8) Adam Bray; 9) George Boaden; 10) Tom Bray; 11) Richard Halford; 12) Jake Emmitt; 13) James Boaden; 14) Jake Ecclestone; 15) Joe Knowles; 16) Dan Horton; 17) Jack Harper; 18) Sam Mullarkey