Moderns 5 Casuals 37

Casuals continue their run with another try bonus win

Saturday 29th September 2018

Tighe treble seals the win for Casuals
Casuals travelled to Moderns, at Wilford, hoping for a better outcome than the game pre-season, and the result was confirmation of Casuals improving form.
Casuals had to re-arrange the starting line up again, due to absenteeism but there was nothing to worry about, especially with Liam Tighe, brought in on the wing, grabbing a debut hat trick
Once again the forwards ensured a good supply of ball from the set pieces, the line out working extremely efficiently throughout, with Matt Fox, and skipper Stu Williams dominating, even stealing some Moderns throws. The mauling is an important part of Casuals’ armoury this season, with the tries mounting steadily, as a result. It was a strength of their play last season, but it is working even better this.
All of this is allowing Casuals backs a good supply of ball, which showed with the names on the score sheet.

Casuals got close to Moderns line, and only a few daft mistakes, and some sloppy passing preventing them going over early, but in the 13th minute, a stolen put in at the scrum, a short passing movement to Tighe gave him a bit of room , and he burst through the tackles to dot down in the corner.
5 - 0
His second on 25 minutes, came from yet another glorious take at the line, the ball was passed across the pitch, and his task this time was a little easier, the awful covering tackling giving him room to get in.
10 - 0
26 minutes, and this time it was full back Brodie Howatson, who went through as the forwards again kept the ball alive, spreading the defenders thin, which gave him enough room to take advantage of a chink in the defence, and all they could do was watch as he gleefully dived in, arm aloft in celebration.
15 – 0
Nearly on ½ time, Casuals again won good ball in the maul, deep in Moderns 22, and Tighe, tight to touch, fought and shoved his way in for the 4th and bonus point try, and a superb hat trick.
20 - 0
Casuals attacked right from the restart, Simon Roberts getting to the ball to take off Moderns, and Casuals won the ensuing lineout, and swift hands gave winger Dan Clarke the opportunity to run the try in.
Higgins converted giving a score of 27 – 0
Alex Brownlie was shown a yellow card shortly after that, and Moderns came back into the game briefly.
A couple of penalties saw them progress well into Casuals’ territory, and after winning a lineout, the ball went down the line for a relatively simple try. 27 – 5
But that was as close as they got, as Casuals again upped the tempo.
Although not instrumental in any score, Casuals determination was illustrated by Simon Roberts as he stole the kick off ball in the air, to set Casuals on the way again.
The backs then got the ball going forward, and a mazy run from Joe Barton on the wing, pushing and shoving through the defenders set up a scrum on the 5 metre line. The forwards now totally dominant rumbled the scrum to the line, and Higgins simply had to drop on the ball for the try, easy as that.
32 - 5
The final score came off a lineout, again, Barton putting in a strong run up the left wing, and Henry (flanker) Franklin was on hand, supporting as good flankers should, to finish off the move, and post Casuals’ 7th try, and a final score of 37 - 5

May seem an easy win, but Casuals are having to utilise their resources, changing the team every week, just simply through players not being available. So it's a credit to the guys coming in every week, who are slotting in well, and carving out opportunities for themselves.