Sleaford 12 Casuals 38

Midlands 3 East (N)
Nottingham Casuals team v Sleaford 20. 10 18
Sleaford 12 Casuals 38

Casuals were very happy that despite a hugely mashed up backs line, it worked superbly.
Patched up, taped up, dizzy with being moved around, Casuals backs still came good. Might mean a bit of a tussle for places, with the form shown by the recent selections.
In came Callum Barry on the right wing, Steve Naylor, press ganged on the other wing, Kris Jakuba moved from scrum half to full back, Brodie Howatson from full back to stand off, Niall O’Kane, normally a wing, returning from injury, in the centre, Higgins back to scrum half after last week’s brief outing at 10, Nick York the only back left in position.

Casuals were soon on the score sheet, with only 2 minutes as Sleaford fumbled the Casuals’ kick off, the ball went out to Steve Naylor from the scrum, and O’Kane was on hand to gleefully cross for the first of his tries.
After a lengthy lay off through injury, this was reward for all the hard grind of rehab over the summer, and just 1 game in the 2s.
Casuals kept up the pressure, the hosts again managed to knock on, then gave away a penalty for offside, Casuals putting the ball upfield to touch.
Unfortunately the line out was stuttering, not the usually efficient machine seen in previous weeks, but it slowly got better.
Then it was lock Kieran “Frenchy” Maisonnet, who made the line break, and rumbustiously rampaged in from 40 metres for Casuals 2nd touch down, with Mark Higgins adding the conversion.
Casuals then stole the ball midfield and Captain Stu Williams was instrumental in transferring the ball swiftly along the line, for Callum Barry to show his pace down the wing, leaving the flailing defence for dead, running in almost untouched. Higgins again added the conversion.
The restart was pretty poor, and Casuals again made ground, this time Nick York booted the ball upfield.
The ball down the backs was unfortunately dropped as Casuals attacked, and then came quite a daft confrontation, lot of posturing, snarling, total handbags at dawn, resulting in a man from each side getting a yellow card.
Service resumed, Casuals then managed to concede a soft try, Sleaford driving over the line, Casuals lacking the bulk to prevent shove, scoreline, 5 – 19.
That was a minor interruption as Casuals continued to dominate. Working back upfield, Casuals dominated territory, but their loss of possession at crucial times was critical, the lineout spluttering just 15 metres from Sleaford’s line.
Possession was again wasted , as a promising move was halted with another knock on. A bit too anxious at times Casuals had to regain their composure. Despite Sleaford breaking out briefly, Casuals regained territory. Again a not straight throw in thwarted Casuals.
Finally, however, a great line take on ½ way, Naylor again went clean through and O’Kane supporting helped himself to his second try, and Casuals getting the bonus point. Higgins conversion taking the score up to 5 points to 26 at half time.

The restart saw a breakout from Casuals, as Chris Brownlie, gathered, unfortunately form the ensuing scrum Casuals were penalised for “crossing”, but Casuals regained the ball, caught by Stu Williams, and Higgins put the ball into touch in the corner.
Casuals then won a scrum, Howatson made a break, and Naylor finished off with the try.
Sleaford were doing their very best to give away possession, and with Casuals pressing again, Henry Franklin pounced on a loose ball, Casuals then moved the ball down the backs, and O’Kane shimmied and side stepped past the defence, racing in for his hat trick, taking the score up to 38 points for Casuals, after Higgins added another conversion.
Unfortunately Casuals concentration slipped as the game progressed to a conclusion, and some slack defending allowed a Sleaford forward to go through in the middle to grab a converted try, for another 7 points.
Casuals then had another player yellow carded for a silly technical offence, but it made no difference as Casuals easily saw the game out.
Next week sees Spalding visit Canalside for the last 3p.m. kick off of the year, Casuals hoping for a return from some of the absentees,
15
JAKUBA KRISTIANAS
14
BARRY CALLUM
13
O KANE NIALL
12
YORK NICHOLAS
11
NAYLOR STEPHEN
10
HOWATSON BRODIE
9
HIGGINS MARK
1
HAWKINS ALEX
2
UNDERWOOD PETER
3
GILL RICHARD
4
MAISONNET KIERAN
5
ROBERTS SIMON
6
FRANKLIN HENRY
7
BROWNLIE CHRISTOPHER
8
WILLIAMS STUART
The Bench
16
MONTARNAL AMAURY
17
FOX MATTHEW
18
MELLOR DAVID

https://www.flickr.com/photos/sparx_tog/sets/72157674723962158

Thanks for the link to the photos of Sleaford v Nott'm Casuals