Lymm go four points clear

LYMM Rugby Union regained their four point cushion at the top of North 1 West with a 21-37 victory at Aspatria while second placed Northwich lost to Vale of Lune.
With 16 points to play for none of the chasing pack can afford to lose ground in the final stages of the season.
The hosts are in dire relegation trouble but are a tough nut to crack at home. As in previous games this season they were only two points adrift at half time and only a second half 20 minute devastating display of attacking play gave Lymm the points.
Lymm recalled influential 10, Andy Roberts and Tom Hughes moved to his preferred 13. Williamson started on the wing and Butler benched. Danny Bates was chosen at tight head allowing warhorse Broadbent a rest. Teen sensation Mullarkey was benched now the Lymm HS commitments had finished for the season.
With both sides struggling with the referee’s interpretation of the break down penalties abounded in the first exchanges. A Knowles penalty on three was cancelled out by Aspatria on 14. The same scenario led to a 6-6 after 24. When Lymm realise they have pace to burn and are patient enough to use it they are a real force.
For the first time they reached 4th phase on 26 minutes and it created enough space for Swetman to go over the try line. Roberts was the pivot latching onto three passes in the same move to release Hughes who unselfishly found the big 12, Knowles missed the conversion. The Aspatria 10 took a half chance and notched a decent drop goal and at half time Lymm led 11-9.
The hosts seemed to be tiring and the half time talk was about phase build up and patience. The message got through. A 30 metre Dave Williamson run set up Jack Johnstone who had the presence of mind to offload to Hughes who went over. Knowles notched the conversion to make it 18-9.
Ten minutes later Hughes released Johnstone who flew over under the posts and then three minutes later was released by Knowles and scored in the corner to put Lymm in control at 30-9. Three minutes later another Knowles
surge, found Roberts and Ian Cullinane scored to make it 37-9 with Knowles succeeding with the extras.
At this point things looked bleak for the hosts. Any score was possible. However a ludicrous sin bin for Cullinane led to an Aspatria try, the impressive 7 pirouetting through non existent defence and on 78 minutes another sin bin, Swetman, led to a 2nd try for the hosts.
Kinsey wasn’t overly impressed saying “Complacency against any team will lead to scores being leaked. Nothing less than a quality aggressive defence next week against Vale of Lune will be acceptable.”
Director of Rugby Richrad Boundy feels the Vale game is huge. “ With the chasing pack playing each other we have a real chance to take a big step towards securing promotion. Vale, however, have spent some money in reinforcing their side and have won their last 5 or 6 so this will be tough.”
Boundy was able to announce the deadline day signings of two of the club’s hottest prospects. Eighteen-year-olds Andy Davies and Jordan Widdrington have both signed to play senior rugby. “ In a league full of Romanians, Aussies, New Zealanders,Tongans and the like it shows the great structure we have in place at Lymm where we can access some of the best players at their age group in the country. Andy has England experience and joins from Sale Jets while Jordan has played regional and county level.
“They are both massive additions to the first team squad. Credit to Andy Leach, the Chairman of the Mini and Junior sections and the various coaches at the club who continue this conveyor belt of talent. Special mention though to Noel Wright ,the colts coach who has been central to these lads being at the club.”
Lymm. 15 Knowles 14 J Johnstone (Butler) 13 Hughes 12 Swetman 11 Williamson 10 Roberts 9 Stringer 1 Brown( Miksys) 2 Harrison 3 Bates 4 Darbyshire (Mullarkey) 5 Pickles 6 Higginson 7 Cullinane 8 Sutton.