Casuals lose in final minutes after dramatic comeback

Midlands 3 East North

Melbourne 18 Casuals 17

Casuals seemed to be down and out of this encounter for the first 20 minutes, with Melbourne in complete charge. It looked as if Casuals were going to be pounded as Melbourne came at them right from the start.
A penalty for not releasing after 3 minutes, and then a converted try shortly after.
Casuals had mauled theie way to the 22 from near the goal line, only somehow to lose the ball, and Melbourne had the simplest of run ins with a huge overlap, Casuals defence absolutely nowhere.
Melbourne added to their tally, to push the score to 15 to nil
It was all Melbourne at this stage, as they moved the ball swiftly setting up countless attacks, helped by a plethora of penalties against Casuals for offences around the breakdown.
However the pounding started to abate, and Casuals managed to come back into the game.
Mark Higgins put over a penalty to reduce the arrears.
Some positional changes in the forwards then seemed to stir Casuals into action. Clearly the original selection had not worked.

In the second half it was Casuals turn to be the dominant side, and several forwards drives took the play to the Melbourne line. Skipper Richard Gill crashed over for the try, which Higgins converted.

Although Melbourne were still competing hard, it was Casuals who got the next score.The penalty tally for Melbourne offences at rucks mounted and this helped Casuals, as much as it had Melbourne in the first half!!!!!!!!!!!
Opting to take a scrum instead a simple penalty kick at goal (Hobbo having a rant on the touchline about not taking the easy points).
Casuals won good clean possession and Ben Wells picked up at the base going through a defence as if wasn't there to touch down under the posts. Higgins conversion gave Casuals a 2 point lead.

But despite all their best efforts, Casuals could not extend their lead.
As the game neared its conclusion, Casuals were penalised for an offence at the tackle, and Melbourne's penalty gave them a point lead that they managed to grimly hang on to, gaining the win, which in the first half had seemed inevitable.

The result puts Casuals into third position in the league