Report by Simon Plumb
LYMM welcomed fourth-placed Hinckley to a cold, blustery and cloudy Beechwood on Saturday in what was considered to be a crucial must-win game if Lymm was to get the season back on track, after 5 losses from 6.
The visitors have never lost against their Cheshire rivals on the three previous occasions they have played each other, so a fierce encounter was envisaged. Lymm had the blustery, changeable wind behind them at kick-off and, while they looked threatening in the first quarter, with some sharp interplay, the moves were not quite coming off. It was to be the story of the afternoon.
Hinckley’s outstanding scrum half, Ben Pointon, made a strong break up the right wing and seemed destined for the try line. However, he then chipped straight into touch, and the threat dissipated.
Lymm continued to play with purpose, and clearly, words had been spoken about starting well compared to recent fixtures. Unfortunately, Hinckley had not been in that changing room and was beginning to find gaps, including the blind side wing forward Nigel Mukarati, who made a break and scored under the posts. 0 – 7 after 4 mins.
Then, in a frenzy of penalties against them, Lymm were pinned back in their own 22 where the visitors began to look threatening once more. However, Cal Morris, playing at scrum half from the start, made a huge clearance kick, using the wind well, in what became a 50 – 22.
The subsequent attacking line out 15m from the try line, presented a great opportunity to get on terms but was thrown to the back and, in the wind, was deemed not straight, so the opportunity was lost.
In one attacking move from Lymm the Hinckley full back deliberately knocked on and was given a yellow card. Soon after this Morris, who was enjoying a return to his favourite scrum half position, then shimmied and dummied his way to the line under the posts. 7 – 7 after 29 mins.
Immediately from kick-off the high ball sent up in the swirling wind was misfielded by Hinkley’s back three for winger Jack Stride to take full advantage and score 15m in from the touch. Shard expertly curved the ball over the posts for the well taken conversion, and Lymm were in front 14 – 7 after 31 mins, for the first, and last time in the match.
However, Hinkley were having none of it and scored very soon after with a well-worked winger’s try in the left corner on 34 mins. Against the wind, the fly half converted well from the touchline, levelling the score, 14 – 14.
Scrum half Pointon again made a searing break but dropped the ball over the line much to the home crowd’s relief. Shortly afterwards, however, open-side Rhys Lilley was yellow-carded for being off his feet in the tackle. From an attacking line out, Hinckley took full advantage and scored from a rolling maul, wide out. 14 – 19 as the half came to a close.
Half time: Lymm 14 – 19 Hinckley
At times this season Lymm have looked vulnerable, mostly from their own mistakes and one of these occurred soon after the second half had kicked off. Fly half Shard, who had started the game well, then threw a speculative high pass which was intercepted in the centre and Hinckley scored under the posts. 14 – 26 with 43 mins played.
A kickable penalty was then awarded to Hinckley who then extended their lead to three scores, 14 – 29 after 55 mins.
Lymm, despite losing the initiative, tried to wrestle it back and started putting the phases together. A chip through by Shard saw winger and Captain Nathan Beesley swiftly move to tackle the scrum half who was fielding the ball. In what was deemed by some of the home crowd as a questionable decision, Beesley was penalised for not letting the player up.
An attacking scrum 5m out saw Morris break blind and he was tackled by Pointon, the Hinckley scrum half, who seemed to have his head on the wrong side and was knocked unconscious. There was a long break in play as the player was taken by stretcher from the field. We all wish him a speedy recovery.
Lymm’s subsequent attack resulted in the ball being dropped 3m from the line and the comeback was repulsed. Hinckley then successfully and expertly worked the ball up the field to 10m from Lymm’s line. Three subsequent scrums from this position eventually led to an unconverted try – 14 – 34 after 65 mins.
Two more converted tries swiftly followed and the game was now beyond Lymm at 14 – 48 after 70 mins.
A no-arms tackle from Hinckley’s skipper and full back Rory Vowles once again led to a second yellow and therefore a red card.
The attacking line out presented an opportunity for Lymm but poor execution let them down once more. However, following a charge down in the 22 and a quick tap from replacement scrum half Tom Manaton, veteran No 8 Oli Higginson charged over near the posts to complete the scoring, as Shard converted – 21 – 48 after 75 mins.
Seeking the four-try bonus point Lymm embarked on attempting to score a final try but it was not to be, summing up a day of missed opportunities, too many mistakes and a distinct lack of sharpness, against a clinical and skilful side.
Director of Rugby Adam Fletcher had this to say: ‘To be frank we were not good enough in all aspects of the game. Too many penalties, not accurate enough at the set piece and poor skill errors all contributed.
‘At this level you can’t give teams opportunities. Fair play to Hinckley, they played a nice brand of rugby and deserved the win. I’m hoping their scrum half makes a speedy recovery.
‘We take a break now for the international weekend and will work hard in the next couple of weeks before we travel to Syston on 14 February,’ (KO 2pm) he concluded.
Team: 1. Ben Lilley (36) 2. James Pitcher (106), 3. Matty Hand* (130), 4. Max Ure* (12), 5. James Yates* (150), 6. Rhys Lilly* (86), 7. Josh Hadland* (75), 8. Oli Higginson* (295), 9. Cal Morris (80), 10. Tom Shard* (160), 11. Paddy Jennings* (95) 12. Joe Heaton (13)*, 13. Ste Pilkington* (98), 14. Jack Stride (33), 15. Nathen Beesley (Capt)* (101),
Reserves: 16. Joe Higgins*(36), 17. Rob Makin* (100), 18. Dai Ngoma (12), 19. Lewis Stewart (6), 20. Tom Manaton (41).
( ) = number of Lymm First XV League appearances
* Former Lymm Academy/M&J player
Referee: Jack Moorhouse
