Lymm back to winning ways

LYMM Rugby Union got back to winning ways when they travelled to West Yorkshire to take on fellow league new comers Braford & Bingley and recorded a 22-41 victory.
The home team had been relegated last season from National 2 and the Cheshire team felt that this fixture could be a real test of their quality.
Former skipper Fletcher replaced influential Swetman and current captain Oakes switched to loose head to allow Harrison another week off. Ashall got the chance, finally, to stake a claim at 7.
The home team had recorded two comfortable wins already this season but, oddly, two poor defeats. Surely a good start was needed from the visitors to create some confidence issues. For a second week Lymm were almost camped out in the opposing 22 for 10 minutes, only to fail to record any score. The home defence repelled everything and no penalties were conceeded. Indeed when the home team took a quick line out to score on 12 it was massively against the run of play. Immediately Lymm came back. On a good advantage call from the ref Jack Johnstone sliced through the midfield defence and released winger Rowley. Only 6 minutes later Rowley went over again only for the ref to wrongly award a 22 drop out. Rowley missed a difficult penalty chance on 21 and then Lymm were forced into a change. The massively experienced Sutton replacing Williams.
On the stroke of half time missed tackles allowed the B&B number 8 over for a try to make it 12-5.
Then constant Lymm attacking play and patient phase build up allowed Kinsey to exploit the gaps and put Fletcher over to level at 12-12.
Immediately after half time Tom Bray expertly snagged a defender and Andy Roberts scorched over making it 17-12 to Lymm.
Veteran war horse Sutton was binned on 48 and B&B pushed over for their 3rd try levelling at 17-17.
However a misplaced pass in the jittery home midfield allowed Fletcher to fly hack and chase to take the lead. A Rowley penalty on 62 made it 27-17 and the game looked
safe. On 66 Lymm scored the try of the season so far. Johnstone’s outrageous back hand to Adam Bray who drew 2 defenders at pace, released Pickles who unselfishly offloaded to replacement Bishop for his 1st Lymm try. 7 minutes later Boaden, also a replacement and showing Lymm’s strength in depth, took a lovely weighted pass from Andy Roberts to make It 41-17. A 50 metre dash by the B&B 9 gave them the bonus point.
Man of the match Tom Darbyshire had a barnstorming game. Carrying the ball with power and threat over and over again he was disappointed that Lymm allowed 4 tries.”It was a really hard game that makes you realize you can’t let your foot off the peddle at this level, otherwise you will get punished.”
Forwards supreme Alex Bennett enthused: “We are starting to realize our potential and winning away from home with a bonus point victory is further evidence of that evolution. A lot more hard work to do but the attitude throughout the club means competition for places in the squad is tough and that breeds the winning culture we are looking to build on.”
Lymm now entertain 3rd place Birkenhead Park at Crouchley Lane on Saturday, Kick off 3pm.
15 Dave Williamson 14 Jack Johnstone 13 Tom Bray 12 Adam Fletcher 11 Andy Rowley 10 Andy Roberts 9 Chris Kinsey 1 Tim Oakes C 2 Adam Bray 3 Jordan Widdrington 4 Tom Darbyshire 5 Sion Williams 6 Ollie Higginson 7 Jake Ashall 8 Lee Pickles 16 Johnny Bishop 17 James Boaden 18 Mark Sutton