R.F.U. Midlands Division Cup

21st September 2019
R.F.U. Midlands Division Cup

Leek 79 Casuals 19

This is a game that Casuals will need to put behind them, as the score suggests, Casuals were under the cosh for much of the game, and the further the game progressed the more Leek pressed home their dominance.

Leek steadily built up a lead, posting 20 points in the 36 minutes, which was not an indication of what was to be.

There were glimmers of hope as Leek were prone to some errors in their eagerness to keep the scoreboard rolling.

Stu Williams was the first to breach Leek’s defences, and his run of 50 metres unfortunately petered out, with the defence back in place to quell the attack.

But Casuals were buoyed up when lock Kieran Maisonnet, (and man of the match for Casuals) intercepted a pass in Casuals half, racing away for a superb try.
Scrum half Chris Atkinson added the conversion.
Leek went in for their 5th try, shortly after , scoreline 25 – 7 at ½ time

It was Maisonnet who got the opening score in the 2nd half, and with the score at 25 – 12, and maybe a revival was on the cards.

6 more tries by Leek simply took the game well away from Casuals. A mounting injury toll meant that Casuals resources were stretched to the limit.
Leek found plenty of room, as the Casuals’ defenders fell away, unable to stem the waves of attacks.

No point for heroics as Leek were rampant by now.

Sub prop, Anto Jeffery completed the day’s scoring. Taking a quick penalty on Leek’s 22, he bludgeoned his way through the desperate defence to score between the posts, Chris Atkinson converted.

The 3rd try right at the end of the game could not gloss over the fact that Casuals were well and truly stuffed, by a well drilled side.

It has got to be said that with the number of changes from the previous week, Casuals were going to find it difficult to gell.
To quote coach Mark Hobson, “many thanks for the players who came in and gave their all”
True, you could not have asked for more. The effort the players put in was immense.
Casuals set pieces were steady, the scrum creaking at times, the lineouts were efficient as usual, taking all their own ball.

Next week Casuals play local rivals Long Eaton at Canalside, with a 3 p.m. kick off, preceded by a lunch, to show off the new additions to Clubhouse.

TEAM
15 Dan O’Connor
14 Clem Stratford - Owen Smith
13 NIALL O’KANE
12 Marcus Dimmock
11 Dan Clarke

10 Andy Harris
9 Chris Atkinson

8 Will Parker (Debut)
7 CLEMENT CHARDIN
6 BARRY HARDING

5 STUART WILLIAMS (No 8 last week)
4 KIERAN MAISONNET

3 BOB PARRY
2 STEVE BARANIAK
1 ALEX HAWKINS

16 ANTO JEFFERY
17 Patrick Seed
18 Owen Smith