NLD Shield 1st round

7 September 2013

Notts, Lincs & Derbyshire Shield 1st Round
Stamford 24 Casuals 26

Casuals win by the narrowest of margins.

After a lively start Casuals nearly let it slip, with Stamford taking full advantage of Casuals inability to maintain possession of their own ball.
Had they kept to the tactics they employed at the start of the game, it should have been a much more emphatic win. Had Stamford been able to convert some of their kicks, they would have easily taken the tie.

Casuals had a number of players making their debuts, Ben Barkham coming in at prop, Tom Pampiglione at No 8 (normally a 2nd row)& Sean Roberts having a try out at centre(moving out from hooker)and having an excellent game.
So there were a lot of positives to take from the game.

It took Casuals only 2 minutes to open their account, even though Stamford were the more lively from the kick off.

Awarded a penalty midfield, they chose to run the ball, and a simple run round, creating a gap for full back Ben Hallam to sprint through to the line.
Casuals nearly added to the scoreline when Dave Cobain was held up just short of the line, but they were unable to capitalise from the 5 metre scrum.

Stamford were consistently being penalised, giving Casuals good field position, and when they decided to run the ball from yet another penalty, a miss move down the line again gave Hallam the room to slice through the Stamford backs for his second try, converted by Higgins.

Stamford were not going to allow Casuals an easy ride, and they launched an attack from their own 22, showing some good ball handling skills, and some excellent backing up, they went upfield to cross a well deserved converted try.
Unfortunately their inability to stem the penalties against them, allowed Higgins to restore some advantage with a simple kick at goal.
Despite the obvious benefits of keeping the ball in hand, and Stamford’s ability to put together moves when they had possession, Casuals gave away the ball with a very badly placed kick, and Stamford ran the ball back for a simply executed try from their own half, pulling the score back to 12 points to 15 at half time.

Higgins gave Casuals the opening score in the second half with another penalty, but Stamford came back into the game with a try following a driven maul from a lineout, and had the conversion been successful, they would have taken the lead.

Casuals then further increased their lead, when some good work from the pack took play up to Stamford’s line, and Higgins went down the short-side for an unconverted try.
He then gave Casuals a cushion with another penalty.

Stamford weren’t finished, and they forced Casuals into touching down in their own in-goal, then driving over the subsequent 5 metre scrum for a converted try.

Casuals can’t take their second half display into next week’s league opener against Dronfield, as they won’t find them as generous hosts as Stamford.

There is a coach leaving the club at 11 a.m.