Casuals 71 Ashfield 5

Midlands 3 East North
Nottingham Casuals 71 Ashfield 5

Casuals added to their previous 63 points against Ashfield with another 71 on Saturday,with a total of 9 tries (Howatson 3, Brelsford 2, and 1 each for Bradwell, Austin, Hallam & Harding) Higgins chipping in with 4 penalties and 7 conversions.

A Brody Howatson hat-trick helps Casuals finally get over the line to ensure promotion, in a 9 try demolition of Ashfield.
Although there is an outside chance of winning the league, Casuals are assured of promotion with one game to go.

The first half was a subdued affair, with 4 Mark Higgins penalties, and 2 conversions, tries coming through from Brody Howatson (2) and one from Charlie Bradwell.
Higgins put over 2 penalties before the first try from Howatson.
Chris Brelsford had taken the ball deep into Ashfield’s half , and from a resultant scrum Howatson just managed to get over the line..
He followed that up with his second try, which Higgins converted, adding another penalty soon after.
Hallam then started the next move from deep within Casuals half, when he caught a kick ahead and stormed through, linking with Howatson, who chipped ahead, and Charlie Bradwell was on hand to finish the move.
Higgins again converted.
Ashfield then managed to cross for an unconverted try shortly before half time, but that was a mere blip in Casuals quest.
Higgins put another penalty over to increase the score to 31 – 5 at half time.

Bizarrely the exchange referee got injured just after half time, and had to leave the pitch with a head wound, but fortunately there was an NLD advisor & seasoned referee on hand, Paul Teager, who took over the whistle, and the game proceeded after a short delay. (Handled the game magnificently, he said)

The flood gates opened in the second half, as Casuals added 6 tries and 5 conversions.

Howatson completed his hat trick, Chris Brelsford got 2, Gareth Austin, and Barry Harding, 1 apiece.
Harding’s try was his first for the 1st XV
Austin opened the scoring in the second half whenhe just made it to the line, and Higgins converted with a belter of a kick.
Good work by Dave Mellor at a lineout then set Casuals in motion again.
The ball went down the 3’s, Hallam then ran on the loop to take the ball at speeed and his speed took him clear down the wing for the touchdown.
Brelsford took the score over the 50 mark when he took route one through a gap, and Higgins added yet another conversion.
The the best try of the match.
Will Drewe ran the ball laterally, and Howatson ran onto a superbly timed pass to slice through in the ball, and as he ran for the line, the poor full back was left for dead by Howatson speed . Higgins converted again Casuals forwards continued their dominance, and they drove Ashfield back upfield, and eventually the maul went over the line and Barry Harding was given the credit for the try (ebven though Brelly tried to claim it)
Higgins convedrted again, but this time with a magnificent long range effort
The game was coming to it’s conclusion when Mark Hobson, Casuals 50 year old evergreen coach came on as a sub on the wing, and nearly crossed for a try, but unfortunately (fortunately maybe)he was stopped just short, but he managed to flick the ball to Brelsford, who just had to step over the line for the try for probably his easiest run in of the season.

The spectators’ commented at the end of the game that the tries were some of the best they had seen this season

Only Ashbourne can overtake Casuals now, and with the fixtures they have got to come, it's quite likely they can get the maximum 15 league points to pip Casuals to the title.
But there is still the chance (slim) that someone might overturn the form book.

Next week

There will be a pre-match buffet for the retired players and followers of Casuals next Saturday, prior to the home game against Dronfield, 1.30 for a 3pm kick off.
Be there to celebrate with the players