Ilkeston 33 Casuals 40

30th September 2017
Midlands 2 East North

Ilkeston 33 Casuals 40

Casuals went to old foes Ilkeston, and recorded their first win over them for many a year.
Casuals were full of optimism after the previous week's league victory, and they started off at a good pace, and were soon in the points.

Playing up a slope, the pitch has a strange kink in the middle, Casuals got into their stride early.
An Ilkeston lineout taken off the top by Stu Williams, and the ball was worked out to the wing, but the scoring pass went forward.
Within moments, Casuals won another lineout, and this time, after some deft passing, winger Steve Naylor wasn’t going to be stopped as he went in wide out. Mark Higgins added the conversion.

Ilkeston equalised after 9 minutes, and it was game on.

Casuals were making progress upfield with some hard won yards, in particular James Wood and Jack Weedon making good ground. A kick to the corner gave Ilkeston a lineout on their 22, but that was cleared only to give possession back to Casuals, and the forwards recycled several rucks and mauls to send Chris Brelsford in for an unconverted try.

Casuals soon went in for their third try, a neatly timed move put Wood straight through for the touchdown, and Higgins kick, rebounding off the post for the conversion, put Casuals up to 19 points.

Casuals seemed to be well on top at this stage.
A kick to touch and Stu Williams again grabbed the Ilkeston throw in, setting up another attack, and then Kieran Maisonett ripped the ball out of an Ilkeston player’s hands, and he kicked upfield.
The pressure did not bring a score, and Ilkeston then found their way to Casuals’ 5 metre line after a penalty kick to touch from Casuals’ 22.
But Casuals exited from the next passage of play getting the ball to touch to relieve the pressure.
Unfortunately the respite was short lived , and Ilkeston came back again through their forwards leading to a converted try.
Ilkeston then managed to mess up from the kick off, and Casuals gained a lineout near Ilkeston’s line.
Ilkeston were penalised at the driving maul, and Casuals gratefully accepted the referee’s award of a penalty try.
This gave Casuals the try bonus point.

All seemed to be going well at this point, and
Casuals went through again with a slick move, but just when Brelsford seemed to be in for his second try, he inexplicably knocked on as he went over the try line.
But Casuals weren’t going to be denied.
They took good lineout ball after Ilkeston cleared from inside their 22, and from the ensuing maul, Jack Weedon dived over for Casuals’ fifth try, and Higgins again converted.
Half time, Ilkeston 14 Casuals 33

After 1/2 time, they further increased the lead with another converted try.
Casuals worked a move deep into Ilkeston’s half, where they were awarded a scrum. Unfortunately the ball was dropped midfield.
Ilkeston tried to come out of defence, but were penalised, and the kick put Casuals back into Ilkeston’s 22.
Casuals were then awarded a scrum 5, from the next move, and Liam Annable crashed over from short range, Higgins adding an easy conversion.

Casuals looked to be cruising at 40 points to 14

Ilkeston had other ideas, and Casuals were caught out by their resurgence.

Casuals were put under the cosh, not helped by conceding a number of penalties.
Ilkeston scored two tries in the space of 15 minutes, giving them a try bonus point.

Casuals then lost James Wood to a yellow card, followed shortly after by Higgins.
To compound Casuals woes, Ilkeston got away with a blatant knock on to the way to third try of the half, earning them another bonus point, but fortunately the game came to a close, leaving Casuals happy victors.

A strange sort of game.

Who played for Casuals

15. Ben Hallam
14. SteveNaylor
13. Brodie Howatson
12. James Wood (Vice Capt)
11. Chris Brelsford
10. Mark Higgins
9. Gareth Davies-Jones
8. Stu Williams
7. ChrisBrownlie
6. Graeme Roberts
5. Simon Roberts
4. Kieran Maisonnet
3. Richard Gill (Capt)
2. Jack Weedon
1. Alex Hawkins

Subs Liam Annable, Dan O'Connor, Steve Baraniak