Lymm keep play off hopes alive

LYMM Rugby Union’s recent good form continued as they came from behind to defeat Liverpool St Helens 20-15.
Lymm now find themselves 4th, their highest position of the season, and still have an unlikely chance of capturing a play off place.
Young starlet Howson retained the 10 shirt with Swetman slotting in his preferred centre position. War horse Calderbank started at 5 and Andy Williamson was back at 7.
Lymm have a tendency to start with all guns blazing or the diametric opposite. Seldom in-between. They secured their own ball twice on the line out but were then turned over in midfield both times. The first half was littered with penalties and LSH took the lead on 3 mins after Higginson was adjudged to be offside.
LSH went close on 15 mins when their winger attempted a chip over the Lymm defence. This tactic did work on 18 when Delbrooke-Jones fly hacked forward to score.
Worsley slotted the conversion making 10-0 to the visitors. A missed penalty on 22 gave Lymm a timely reminder that they had to up their game before it ran away from them.
The game was becoming more fractious as the referee struggled to control the latent aggression used by the visitors to disrupt Lymm. Several flaying fists were missed or, perhaps, ignored as the game threatened to explode. Lymm were to be praised for their discipline though.
With the wind behind the hosts Lymm knew they had the firepower. A choice reminder from passionate Welshman George at half time needed to do the trick.
When Delbrooke-Jones intercepted and broke though loose tackles within 90 seconds of the restart to make it 0-15, it seemed all was lost.
Broadbent was assaulted and despatched to hospital and had to be replaced by Warrington. Immediately Warrington’s physical presence led to a turnover and Lymm, for the first time, played with some patience and used target runners. When Tommy Jackson was sin binned for LSH, Lymm dominated the scrum and were awarded their 5th penalty try of the season. Swetman doesn’t miss many and the score was 7 -15, after 65. Immediatly Swetman used the wind to his advantage and the resulting line out led to man of the match Darius Miksys going over from 5 metres. Converted it was now 14-15.
Then it was the divining moment of the match. Lymm were awarded a penalty on 75 mins. Swetman grazed the post. The referee, bravely, ordered a retake as LSH were penalised for talking during the kick. Swetman didn’t miss the second opportunity. 17-15.
On 80 mins Swetman tried his luck from 55 metres only to miss by 3 metres to the left but it was a good sighter for an easier kick 35 seconds later. 20-15.
Coach Chris Kinsey summarised: “Late wins are becoming a habit although we have developed a winning mentality that has given us a slim hope of a play off place”.
Director Of Rugby Richard Boundy still thinks that it will take a “bizarre series of results” to secure the play off place but with their two remaining games away to league leaders Rochdale and home to 3rd place Rossendale things are largely still in Lymm’s hands.
“Rochdale will be tough. We beat them at home at Xmas so they will want revenge and they will want to enjoy their final home game in this league. We are also missing key players.”

Team: 1.Ollie Brown 2 Scott Harrison 3 Keith Broadbent (Jack Warrington 52) 4. Darius Miksys, 5. Rob Calderbank 6 Ollie Higginson 7 Andy Williamson 8. Mark Sutton 9 Chris Kinsey 10. Jordan Howson 11 Richard Butler 12.Tom Hughes (C) 13 Mike Swetman 14 Jack Johnstone 15. Dave Williamson