Nottingham Casuals 29 Sleaford 20

Midlands 3 East North

19 February 2011

Nottingham Casuals 29 Sleaford 20

Try scorers: Josh Tilford, 1, Ben Hallam 2, Mark Higgins 1,
Higgins 3 conversions, 1 penalty

Casuals didn’t quite get the game they wanted, but managed to pull off another bonus point win in the end.
Sleaford, in between, played some excellent rugby to push Casuals to the final whistle.
A cliffhanger of a game, played in a very good spirit by both sides, probably the best behaved game at Canalside for a long time. Both sides were guilty of missing their tackles, which added to the attacking nature of the game, but was a bit worrying.

The play in the opening minutes seemed as if it might set the tone for the afternoon.

A penalty kick to touch gained Casuals ground, and good ball from the resultant lineout, went to Josh Tilford who ran straight through some very ineffective tackles from 30 metres out for the first try, Mark Higgins converting.
Sleaford , however pulled back with a penalty for offside against Casuals only minutes later.
Casuals then had to endure a period of pressure, before they worked their way back down field, to get close to Sleaford’s try line.
Quick ball from the base of the scrum to Will Drewe, and he repeated last weeks slick ball to Ben Hallam, coming into the line at pace, and he ran clean through for his first try. Higgins again converted.
Sleaford refused to be bowed, coming back with some ground gaining work themselves, and a silly penalty gave Sleaford the possession, and they went through in the centre for a converted try.

It could be said though, that in between some good rugby, there was some awful handling, maybe being put down to the conditions, but possibly both sides were guilty of trying to force it.

Casuals forwards trundled on in the second half, and Joe Barton displayed his power on a number of occasions, and when he drove upfield again, Leon Jackson took it on to set up a ruck, and Higgins was on hand to nip through for the try which he converted.

Sleaford then put together a superb attack from deep inside their half, the ball was cross kicked to the wing, where the man wide out gathered in mid stride, and the players following up, interpassed brilliantly, despite Casuals tackles, and they were rewarded with a try in the corner.
This pulled the score back to 21 – 15, and suddenly Casuals were under pressure.

At this point Casuals ill discipline set Sleaford off downfield. A penalty against Casuals was moved forward another 10 metres, because of what is normally called backchat to the ref, but more like gobbing off, and Sleaford took full advantage, to go in at the corner. 21 – 20
(When will people learn that mouthing off, generally affects the whole team, and when it undoes all the hard work the players have put in, in attack, and then having to defend under pressure, is not doing anyone any favours.
P _ L _ E_ A_S_E, D_O_N_’_T !!!!!)
The ref won't change his decision, but he might be influenced against you.

Casuals missed a sitter of try when they mounted an attack. However they maintained the momentum.
A penalty was awarded to Casuals, after a period of advantage. It seemed Higgins had scraped a drop goal which was not given. Higgins however made no mistake with his place kick.

He was then given a yellow card for an infringement in the ruck (Higgins in a ruck, never), and with the scores that close, it didn’t look good for Casuals.
But Sleaford then had a man yellow carded themselves, and with the sides even, Casuals managed to maintain pressure on Sleaford..
Casuals disrupted a Sleaford scrum, Dave Mellor secured the loose ball on the ground, it was sent down the 3’s, and for the second time in the game Hallam came into the line to run through the Sleaford defence, and with a superb dummy he rounded the last defender for the bonus point try.

Whew, that was a cracking game.
No game next week for the 1sts, apologies to Paviors, thanks for the offer.