Sheffield 18 Lymm 14 Report by Dave Fernyhough
HAVING lost to newly promoted Ilkley at home last week, it was vital that Lymm made amends at the other promoted team Sheffield.
The home side had put in a strong effort against their powerhouse neighbours Tigers last time out and so were expected to be a challenge, and they did not disappoint.
Lymm sadly were to put in a performance that was an almost carbon copy of the previous week; starting brightly with fine running rugby leading to points, and then being unable to re-assert themselves until the very end of the game.
From the start Lymm showed their potential with expansive attacks stretching the Sheffield defence and gaps opening everywhere. Debutant fly half Oli Lancaster looked a positive addition to the squad, directing play well. He soon combined with Adam Bray and Richard McEvoy on the wing, to take full advantage of a nicely worked overlap which Bray completed to open the scoring, Nolan knocking over a tricky conversion from the touchline 0 – 7.
Lymm continued to push for points but each time a loose kick thwarted them. Sheffield then began to gain the upper hand. The visitors were giving away far too many penalties at the ruck and Sheffield were able to creep into Lymm territory, a little further each time. Backrower Johnny France was becoming a thorn in Lymm’s side with his strong running. However he struggled to convert penalties into points with his kicking.
Lymm spent the rest of the first half battling to clear their lines, with only the occasional foray into the Sheffield half. One such foray lead to a Lymm penalty from 45 metres out. Nolan’s effort fell just short. Immediately after Sheffield had an attempt which was successful 3 – 7.
Penalty after penalty then followed for the home side, and they soon reduced the Lymm lead to 6 – 7. A loose Line out by Lymm was cleaned up by Tom Shard’s relieving kick, however Sheffield caught it before it reached touch and put the pressure right back on Lymm. The Cheshire boys defended well though and ended the half with a very strong scrum which advanced 10 metres and was rewarded with a penalty. Nolan again came close but no score as Lymm led 6-7 at the break.
Lymm started well after the interval, and had another unsuccessful penalty attempt, but Sheffield went straight back to putting immense pressure on the visitors. Lymm defended bravely against the home side’s direct and energetic offense, but still struggled to clear their lines, allowing Sheffield to come right back at them each time. The pressure eventually told and Tom Bray was sin binned.
A man down and with the pressure unrelenting, Lymm fumbled from a scrum on their own 5 metre line. Sheffield went through four mini rucks and dived over to take the lead with an unconverted try 11 – 7.
The second half continued in this vein. Sheffield putting together increasingly threatening attacks and Lymm defending resolutely but giving away penalties and struggling at the set piece. If the home side had made their numerous kicks for goal Lymm would have been in real trouble.
It was a missed kick for goal that saw Sheffield add to their score though. From the restart, Sheffield simply but effectively kicked behind the Lymm defence for their number 10, Conville to use his impressive pace and collect the ball and score a converted try 18 – 7.
Lymm at last made it into Sheffield territory and won a scrum 10 metres from the line. The dangerous attack that followed was undone by a loose pass that was intercepted and allowed Sheffield to race down field for a likely try. However they too threw an intercepted pass and Lymm escaped further punishment.
As in the previous week, Lymm returned to the strong attacking play that they had begun the game with at the very end. Joe Knowles and Tom Bray broke through the Sheffield defence and fed McEvoy who finished strongly to score under the posts, and Nolan converted 18 – 14.
Lymm’s response had come far too late, and they had to console themselves with a losing bonus point yet again.
The challenge for Adam Fletcher’s boys would seem to be how to impose themselves on the middle of the game, once the opposition has come to terms with the Lymm running game.
Team: 1) Jordan Widdrington; 2) Ross White; 3) Nick Ashton; 4) Alex Kaihau; 5) Zak Lythgoe; 6) Joe McGrail; 7) Jake Ashall; 8) Adam Bray (C); 9) Tom Shard; 10) Oli Lancaster; 11) Cormac Nolan; 12) Oli Higginson; 13) Tom Bray; 14) Richard McEvoy; 15) Joe Knowles; SUBS: 16) Dan Horton; 17) Will Baldwin; 18) Richard Halford
