Lymm fail to adapt to conditions

LYMM Rugby Union fell to their third away defeat in the league as they struggled to adapt to challenging conditions at Rossendale.
Losing key forwards Adam Bray and Jake Ashall to injury did not help but the squad depth allowed Pickles back to 8 and Sion Williams returned at 7. New comer Richard Kelly was selected on the bench alongside Tom Bray and Mark Sutton.
Choosing to play with the slope in the first 40 Lymm had to get to the break with a significant points advantage. A 16-7 lead was not enough as the home side were able to use their solid, effective game to full benefit in the second half.
Two Rowley penalties on 2 mins and 13 mins had given Lymm a 6-0 lead and when Jack Johnstone finished a lovely, pacey move involving Roberts and Williamson and rounded off with an outrageous Fletcher offload the visitors had a win in sight. 13-0.
On 30 Rossendale secured turnover ball in midfield and ran in to make it 13-7. Rowley, back to his kicking best, notched another penalty on 38 to make it 16-7.
The half time team talk was all about defence and preparing for the Rossendale pressure. Very disappointingly it took just 3 minutes for the hosts to score 2 converted tries. Again both caused by Lymm errors and failure to secure their own ball.16-21.
Lymm play with much lauded attacking flair and refused to change their playing style in wet conditions. A crucial handling error by the Lymm backs, in their own half gave Rossendale another penalty on 52. 16-24. The decision to play almost 7s style rugby paid off on 67 when Joe Knowles finished off a superb counter attack. Oily Hogginson pacing into space, setting up a rewind for the Lymm backs to find Jack Johnstone whose Harlem Globetrotter offload was collected by the Lymm 15. 23-24.
Lymm piled on the pressure and were unlucky to be turned over on the hosts’ 10 metre line but would be disappointed that backchat and poor discipline turned a probably Lymm line out in the red zone into a penalty to Rossendale.
The home 12 then scythed through static, tiring defence and the game finished 31-23 as Lymm returned without a losing bonus point.
Man of the match Knowles was philosophical. “ It was a disappointing result but we showed good spirit in the 2nd half when a lot of teams would have folded against a strong Rossendale pack and a ridiculous slope. This will hold us in good stead for some tough games ahead. A 5 point win is a must next week. I, for one, will be looking forward to sharing a beer or two in the clubhouse with the alli’s at the next game.”
Coach Kinsey acknowledged the errors. “We only have ourselves to blame for this defeat. We know how dangerous we are in attack but a handful of poor decisions and errors ultimately lost us the game.”
Lymm 2s returned to winning ways with an impressive 43-12 win over LSH 2s with Luke Emmitt scoring 23 points. Lymm 3s recorded their 12th straight victory with a 35-6 win over Didsbury. Nudge Norcott, captain Rathbone, Luke Ferguson and Pat Roberts all scoring tries. Roberts notched five kicks.
Lymm 1s now entertain bottom placed Rochdale on November 27, k.o 2.15pm.
15 Joe Knowles 14 Jack Johnstone 13 Dave Williamson 12 Adam Fletcher 11 Andy Rowley 10 Andy Roberts 9 Chris Kinsey 1 Scott Harrison 2 Tim Oakes C 3 Jordan Widdrington 4 Alex Bennett 5 Tom Darbyshire 6 Ollie Higginson 7 Sion Williams 8 Lee Pickles 16 Mark Sutton 17 Tom Bray 18 Richard Kelly