Lymm stumble at home again

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Lymm 12 Burnage 20 by Simon Plumb

After toppling league leaders Sandal last week, many thought the corner had been turned and Lymm would continue a traditional good run as the season concludes.

But their Mancunian visitors had other thoughts and are always stubborn competition despite losing at home to Lymm earlier in the season. If there was to be any complacency from Lymm, against a relegation threatened team, it was sure to be punished, and so it proved.

After a mornings rain the pitch at Beechwood looked in fine fettle on a dry afternoon as Burnage kicked off with a strong wind behind them. Following a sustained driving maul Burnage were rewarded with a well worked try in the left corner after 4 minutes, which was unconverted, 5-0.
Back row, Kieron Williams was at his most robust but left the field after taking a knock, ably replaced by Maullarkey. Lymm attacked the visitor’s line and after a neat chip through, Jake Ashall went close but knocked on near the sticks.
Using the wind well Burnage kept pinning the home side back into their own half with a good kicking game, and began applying pressure at the set piece. Their scrum in particular was a good hunting ground and George Boaden at scrum half was having a torrid time trying to get the ball cleanly away as the pack moved backwards. When he did the Lymm backs, running into the wind, looked threatening.
However, it was the Burnage centre pairing who worked their magic to break through and score under the posts after 28 mins, 12-0. Stung by this Tom Bray in the centre broke free to feed his colleagues to nearly score in the corner. From the attacking scrum the ball was moved swiftly and expertly across the line for Andy Rowley on the left wing to score a spectacular, unconverted try in the corner, 12-5 after 35 minutes.
Burnage extended their lead with a penalty just before the interval and led 5-15 at half time. Was it a 10 or 15 point wind debated the sages on the side lines? Lymm’s inadequate kicking game would surely improve now the wind was behind them everyone thought, but it was not to be. If Lymm have lacked anything this year it is a good kicking game, especially in such conditions and it proved the team’s undoing in this match.
From one attacking scrum, following a Joe Knowles neat chip to the corner, Boaden went close, passing inside to Adam Bray at 8 who knocked on close to the line. A period of sustained pressure and a rolling maul, as Lymm tried to take more control, saw Mullarkey also go close and these two failures to score shaped the match.
Meanwhile the wind appeared to drop and a speculative up and under by Burnage was spilled by Lymm and the bounce went straight to the charging Burnage second row who fed his back row colleague to score against the run of play, 20-5. This seemed to panic the home side who kept failing to put phases together, especially as the weather deteriorated.
Another good kick from Rowley into the corner gave Lymm an attacking scrum but the Burnage pack shoved hard and effectively, removing Broaden’s opportunity to feed his speedy backs. However, from an attacking line out Mullarkey got his just desserts taking the score to 20-12 after the conversion by fly half Rhys Jones.
Had Burnage got their noses too far in front? Could Lymm put a decisive number of phases together as the clocked ticked by? With the weather closing in would Lymm find the two scores they required? The answers were yes, no and no respectively and the score remained at 20-12 as the whistle went.
Lymm have beaten better sides than this and lost to poorer sides as well this season. One thing is clear – with no plan, strategic nous and a decent kicking game when it is needed, the hugely talented and speedy back division is not enough against a side that does the basics well and takes the few opportunities presented to them, as Burnage did this day. Quite simply, hovering just above the relegation zone, they needed it more and it showed. On a positive note, Adam Halford made his debut 1st team appearance after an excellent season as 2nd XV Captain.
With Sheffield Tigers away and Billingham at home concluding the season, Lymm need to re-find their collective mojo or it will be another season of lower half league positioning and under-achievement.
There are no game now until Saturday 11th April.
Squad: 1) Mike Auden, 2) Ross White, 3) Nick Ashton 4) Alex Kahui, 5) Sion Williams (C), 6) Jake Ashall, 7) Kieron Williams, 8) Adam Bray, 9) George Boaden, 10) Rhys Jones, 11) Dave Williamson, 12) Tom Bray, 13) Jake Ecclestone, 14) Andy Rowley, 15) Joe Knowles,16) Sam Mullarkey, 17) Dan Horton, 18) Adam Halford


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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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