Midlands 3 East North

30th October 2010

Midlands 3 East North

Nottingham Casuals 53 Worksop 5

Casuals racked up another creditable total with a 9 try haul over bottom side Worksop.

On paper it never looked to be a difficult task, considering the respective league positions.

Following a period of sustained pressure, Casuals opened their account through hooker Graham Roberts, lurking on the wing, he deftly grasped a cross kick from Mark Higgins out of the air, giving him an easy run in from over the 22.

Higgins got the 2nd when Casuals forwards stole a lineout ball. He cut through the Worksop cover, linking up with the support, and was on hand when the ball came out of the ensuing ruck to dive over.

Some more simple Rugby, the forwards doing the graft for the backs to show their off their running game, and Chris Brelsford was on the end of a another slick passing move, with Ben Hallam releasing a well timed ball, leaving Brelsford the simple task of knocking some defenders out of the way to touch down.

Higgins converted this one. Good lineout possession was the basis of the next score, the forwards again took play up through several phases, and a breakdown midfield gave Josh Tilford the opportunity to pick up from the base of a ruck and run over.

Brelsford was the architect of the next score, when he took a pass in Casuals 22, running cross field from right to left, a quick ruck ball, and Higgins was off down the left wing, unselfishly popping a pass to Brodie Howatson as they reached the last defender, and he took off to the line with Worksop helpless to stop him. Higgins added the 2 points, for a half time score of 29 – 0

Shortly after the restart debutant Cole Hobson (the son of coach Mark, making his first start in a league game at stand off) broke to the right off a scrum, he made ground through the middle, and when the ball was switched back to the left, Ben Wilkinson made light of the challenge from a Worksop defender, standing him and pushing him out of the way on his path en route to the try line. Higgins converted the try.

Casuals then stole a Worksop lineout, Paul Greensmith went through a gap, then some swift hands down the backs, and Brelsford ran through the despairing Worksop tacklers for his second try.

A simple training ground lineout move saw Casuals forwards take the ball on . and when inevitably it was sent down the backs, lock Joe Barton came up in support to send Ben Hallam in the corner.

The final try was constructed from a quick penalty, again quickly shifted ball, and this time Barton decided to go in himself for the touchdown , which Higgins managed to convert.

Unfortunately Worksop forwards were determined not to end the match pointless. Their grinding mauling tactics eventually lead to an unspectacular but hard won try, to give them some satisfaction right at the end of the game, after having been outplayed for 78 minutes.

The win lifts Casuals back into 2nd place in the league, with a massive points for aggregate, and a substantial points difference.

Next week it's a rest from league duties as the 1sts take on West Bridgford away, 2.30 kick off