Casuals 1st XV 33 Spalding 12

Midlands 2 East North
19th November 2016

Casuals 33 Spalding 12 (Try bonus point to Casuals)

Scorers Sam Kelly, Liam Annable 2, Dan O'Connor, and Barney Sears (off the bench for his debut try)

Casuals won their second game in the league, overpowering bottom placed Spalding, lifting themselves level with West Bridgford.
If they can maintain this level of improvement, then things could be looking good.

Casuals started the game playing into the wind, with reasonable conditions underfoot.
They soon took play into Spalding’s half, but a promising move foundered and Spalding, with the help of a penalty to touch, were able to take play back downfield.
Then the familiar early score against Casuals came when Spalding grabbed a converted try in the 8th minute.
Play remained fairly even after that until the 20th minute when Casuals mounted a series of attacks on Spaldings line, and eventually Sam Kelly was able to get over from close range for a much needed 5 points.
Casuals upped their game, and put together some good passing movements, a fairly decent period of play for about 18 minutes, but they were just unable to get another score before ½ time.
The lineouts were well worked, and the scrums seemed to be fairly comfortable.

Liam Annable came closest when he went over the try line from a lineout, but was deemed to have been held up.
James Wood was unfortunate that his third attempt at the posts after a penalty against Spalding, and a yellow card, saw the kick bounce off the posts, which would have given Casuals a fillip just before half time.

2 minutes after the restart Casuals got the score rolling again.
Simba Matambo drove forward from a penalty, and when a scrum was awarded on the 5 metre line. Casuals pack drove Spalding back over the goal line, and No 8 Annable touched down.
James Wood to no doubt his great relief made no mistake with the conversion.

Casuals took play deep into Spalding’s territory from the kick off, and they repeated the build up to the previous score by out-scrummaging Spalding, with Annable touching down, and Wood converting again.
Casuals were building a decent lead, but still needed more tries to gain the try bonus point.

Casuals once again came back on the attack directly from the kick off, taking play straight back to Spaldings 22.
Nothing uncomplicated was the order of the day, good support in the loose, with the forwards moving on through successive ruck and mauls.
Casuals had made some positional changes, bringing Barney Sears on for his debut and stand off, and it wasn’t long before he made his mark. The ball was won by the forwards, a slick transfer to Sears, and he went over for the try.
Not a bad start to his playing career at Casuals, debut try, and the try bonus point.
With the conversion to follow, Casuals were up to 26 points.

Casuals then topped that when they took a lineout and Dan O’Connor jinked his way through in the centre, and that try was also converted (A good day in the kicking department)

At 33 points to 7 Casuals were cruising, but Spalding spoilt the party slightly as the went over for a try very late on, but the day was definitely Casuals.

RJH conversion specialists Man of the match was stand in captain Richard Gill, taking over for the foreseeable future, with Mark Higgins potentially sidelined until February.

The game was attended by many retired players, who had come to welcome back previous 1st team stalwart Pete Wilcox, making a fleeting return to Nottingham.
A good day was had by all