Report by Andy Leach
LYMM Rugby Union Club kicked off with their new season with a hard earned 10-17 victory at Cleckheaton.
No trip to Cleckheaton is easy, as evidenced by last season’s defeat, and the weather, more akin to late November than early September, that greeted Lymm on Saturday served to reinforce the view that this would be a tough encounter, which would test the character of this young Lymm squad – and so it proved.
With a number of players still not back, or only just returned, from the summer break and others carrying injuries, Coach Fletcher elected to stick with the players who had featured in Lymm’s solid pre-season build-up.
Hence Lymm started the match with an unusually experienced bench of Widdrington, Ashall and Knowles. League debuts were handed to former Colts, Denman and Wealthall, together with Watson, who has joined the club from Harrogate, having recently relocated to the North-West. It was also pleasing to see Kimber, another former Colt, returning following a couple of seasons with Sandbach.
In incessant heavy rain, Lymm kicked-off and after some early encouraging signs, infringements quickly put them under pressure in their own 22 and enterprising play by Cleckheaton nearly brought early reward, but their right winger was just forced into touch as he crossed the line. This led to a period of considerable pressure on the Lymm defence, with Cleckheaton’s renowned forward-strength dictating their style of play. But Lymm’s defence was outstanding, repelling drive after drive by the Yorkshire pack, and resulting in relieving turnovers at crucial times. Given the conditions, both teams elected to kick more than on a dry day but Lymm, and especially Denman, showed solidity under the high-ball.
With the match heading to half-time, the teams were still deadlocked at 0-0. Then came Lymm’s magnificent 7 minutes, which proved to be the decisive period in determining the outcome of the fixture. With the clock on 35 minutes, Lymm enjoyed their first real period of continuous pressure and phase rugby in the Cleckheaton 22. Powerful surges by Lymm forwards, confident ball retention and switches across the backline stretched the Yorkshire-men’s defence creating an opportunity on the left. However, when Wealthall’s pass found winger Owens there was plenty for him to do to score, but the flyer beat the two covering defenders with aplomb and Lymm’s season was up and running. McEvoy failed with the wide-out conversion. 0-5
Cleckheaton put the restart deep into Lymm’s 22, where it was collected on the full by a rampaging Adam Bray, who tore into the advancing defence. Yards gained and efficient recycling gave brother Tom quick front-foot ball and, faced by a disorganised defensive line, he made good yards before placing an expertly weighted kick down the right wing. McEvoy reached the ball at the same time as the Cleckheaton full-back, but the Lymm player’s commitment to the contact allowed him to gather-in the loose ball, hand-off the covering defender and race in from 50m. Although closer to the uprights than the first score, McEvoy was unable to add the extras. 0-10
Lymm started the second half as they had finished the first – full of power, aggression and confidence. Receiving the ball from the kick-off, Lymm were at their belligerent best. Powerful runs by the Lymm forwards, with the exceptional Mullarkey most prominent, ate up yards of opposition territory. The backs, presumably having felt some warmth in the half-time huddle, were running freely, finding their men with purposeful passes, and stretching the opposition’s defence. Moving the ball wide to the right Wealthall floated a perfectly weighted pass to McEvoy who, gathering the ball at the second attempt, capitalised on the overlap that had been created and ran round near the posts to score. This time he was able to slot the conversion. 0-17
So, 7 minutes and 17 points and with Lymm rampant, the travelling support were starting to think of a try-bonus point, but, to be honest, it was not that sort of day. As the game progressed the conditions did not improve, the cold started to set in and both team’s error count began to increase.
Other than this, the game reverted pretty much to how the first 35 minutes had played out. Cleckheaton having the lion’s share of possession and field position and Lymm’s defence being severely tested. Kicking, now increasingly ragged, and relying on a mistake by an opponent seemed the best option that both teams had to gain the upper hand. Cleckheaton finally got on the scoreboard through a penalty try, duly converted, on 52 minutes, awarded for a Lymm scrum infringement at a defensive scrum, and, 2 minutes later, converted a penalty from 30m. 10-17.
This set up a tense last 26 minutes, which was largely played out in the Lymm 22. However, the Lymm defence was as strong in this last period as it had been at the start of the match – fierce, uncompromising and giving no quarter – and it was fitting that this outstanding defensive display had the final say, forcing Cleckheaton to infringe so that the ensuing penalty could be sent into touch to allow the referee to end the match, and all players to head-off for an undoubtedly welcome, warm shower.
After the match, captain Bray was happy. “These are 4 good points to start the season, as this is a difficult place to come and win. I was really pleased with our defensive effort and the clinical way we took the relatively limited chances we created. Not exactly the weather you expect for the first match of the season was it?”
Team:
1) Dan Horton, 2) Ross White, 3) Mike Auden, 4) Joe McGrail, 5) Joe Watson, 6) Sam Mullarkey, 7) Adam Bray (C), 8) Ollie Higginson, 9) George Boaden, 10) Tom Bray, 11) Richard McEvoy, 12) Alistair Wealthall, 13) James Kimber, 14) Chris Owens, 15) Joe Denman, 16) Jordan Widdrington, 17) Jake Ashall, 18) Joe Knowles.
