Belgrave 22 Casuals 32

19th November 2011
Midlands 2 East (North)

Belgrave 22 Nottingham Casuals 32

Casuals get a 4 try bonus point as they beat a resolute Belgrave.
A great result that moves Casuals away from the lowly position in the table.

This was a must win game, and Casuals looked to have it in the bag, but Belgrave weren’t going to give in easily.

The first 3 scrums looked ominous as Belgrave pushed Casuals backwards deep in Casuals half , but Casuals rallied and they forced Belgrave back upfield. Casuals forwards recycled the ball through a series of rucks and mauls, and when the ball was sent down the backs, Ben Hallam came into the line from full back, he cut through the defence and sent Steve Naylor away.Naylor outsprinted his opposite number for the first touchdown. Mark Higgins put over the conversion from close to the left touchline.
Belgrave came back, and when they took the lineout from a penalty kick to touch, their forwards mauled Casuals back over the try line for their first try.
But this was a brief setback for Casuals who set up the next score when their forwards won clean possession from a lineout, and play was switched the ball coming back to the left wing, Naylor getting a clean run in for his second try.
Higgins again added a long range conversion, and just before half time, he kicked a penalty to take Casuals into a 17 – 5 lead.

Only 4 minutes into the second half, Casuals again took the lineout on Belgrave’s 22, and Higgins went round the back of the line dinking his way past the defenders on the way to the tryline
6 minutes later Casuals were fortuitously awarded a scrum on the five in front of the posts, and it was Higgins again who scooted through the defence for a try which he then converted.

Casuals then found themselves in a battle, as Belgrave’s forwards started to make inroads into Casuals defence, and they brought themselves right back into the game with 3 tries.
Higgins had the final word, when he denied Belgrave a bonus point by kicking a penalty right at the death.

Casuals brought in Johnny Morris at centre and Harry Stimpson in the second row,and they rewarded the selectors with fine performances.
Oli Mott made his return to the back row,after his lengthy world trip.
On the day it was Casuals forwards who took the plaudits as they rafted up their game again, giving the backs the platform to score the tries.