Ilkeston Away 26/11/23

Nottingham Casuals RFC vs Ilkeston RFC
Under 11s ‧ Away ‧ 26/11/2023

With winter beginning in earnest and the sun still low in the sky, the hoary remnants of a frost greeted the Casuals as they looked to build on a spirited performance away at West Bridgeford. Having shown marked improvement against a tough side, three tenets were laid clear as the team huddled before the morning’s clash with Ilkeston:

Communicating information
Win the ball and move it wide
Ready, up, and hit! in defence.

All would prove to be essential and decisive factors in a tough game full of tries, with the Casuals battling their opponents, the elements and the topography to the end.

It was a positive start, with the Casuals continuing to show their improvement at the breakdown, getting the game into multiple phases and unlocking Liam and Nathan for some early tries.

Ilkeston, however, were determined not to make it easy and their strong rucking meant the game would remain competitive until the final whistle. As the game opened up, the Casuals needed a little more from their defensive line and Ilkeston were able to use the width and a breakaway to put points on the board and level the game.

Not disheartened, the Casuals battled back into the game with positive running from Felix and Owen, who also showed his awareness to rip the ball for a turnover on multiple occasions.

With a foothold in the game, the Casuals began to use the width available, putting passes together to get Spencer and Edwyn on the score sheet multiple times. Sustained driving from Stan and a demonstration of pace from Nii Yartey would see the Casuals score again, but not without Ilkeston determined to stay in the game. Tries came in both directions with Ilkeston able to exploit space on the breakaway, and the game went into the first break with the score tied.

With the coaches’ praise for the attacking play and a reminder to be ready in defence still ringing in their ears, the players took to the pitch for the second spell and made their intentions clear. The Casuals would go on an uninterrupted five try streak, started by some exceptional vision from Mikey to release Bradwell out wide.

Liam, who showed great tenacity throughout the game, added the second of the period after a winding run. Owen got over the line next after another rip; Mikey battled hard to put his score on the board; and Stan completed a move after two smooth passes to extend the lead further.
Once again the Ilkeston side made it clear that they wouldn’t roll over, and despite a stretch of tackling from the Casuals they were able to find the try line on the blind side. An important score, it marked a stretch where the sides would trade tries, both teams struggling to hold off strong runners. George, Bradwell, and Nii Yartey added more to the scoresheet as the game headed towards the second interval.

Before that whistle could come, however, a standout defence of the line was initiated by a heroic play from George who chased back and held the Ilkeston attacker until support arrived. A critical moment in a game where defence would prove crucial for the final result.

Despite taking a significant lead into the final period, the game was far from over.

The Casuals opened the last stretch by continuing to demonstrate good hands and width, moving the ball out to Liam for a try.

Undeterred by the score, Ilkeston rucked and tackled hard, making things difficult for the Casuals as fatigue began to become a factor. Pressing the advantage, they scored four tries without response as the Casuals struggled to catch and tackle their ball carriers.

They had narrowed the gap and the game was either team’s for the taking.

It is testament to both sides that the game remained competitive and tense to the very end. The tries they had conceded were not enough to break the Casuals, and they put together a genuine team effort through multiple phases to release Felix for a try. Ilkeston would keep fighting and put a further two on the board, but ultimately it was not enough to deny the Casuals a hard-fought victory.

Final score: Casuals 17 - 15 Ilkeston.

With post-match hot dogs in hand, a special mention went to Liam for his heart and determination with and without the ball. As the team celebrated the game’s highlights, Player of the Week went to Mikey whose outstanding assist had demonstrated so well the power of vision and a player in space.