Nottingham Casuals v Bakewell

Casuals win the league and NLD shield double header against a brave Bakewell XV, scoring 8 tries and keep the bandwagon rolling.

Nottingham Casuals 46 Bakewell Mannerians 7
Midlands 3 East North
17th November 2018

Casuals continued their unbeaten run, with their 8th straight win in the league, with 7 bringing a 5 try bonus point, topping the league by a 10 point margin.

Despite Bakewell sitting at the bottom of the league, they made Casuals work for the win, as they tested Casuals’ defence throughout.

The opening exchanges saw play centred in Bakewell’s ½ , and it was 10 minutes before Casuals opened their scoring.
The well practiced routine of a penalty kick to touch, followed by a driving maul, gave Casuals the room to move the ball down the backline, creating an overlap, giving flanker Andy Harris room to go through on the wing, touching down near the posts. 5 – 0
Casuals soon followed up with their 2nd score. A scrum midfield, followed by a ruck, saw lock Kieran Maisonnet storm through in the middle, his offload gave supporting centre Brody Howatson a simple run in.
Higgins converted for a 12 – 0 lead.

The 3rd try was a bit fortuitous but also showed great awareness.
Casuals kept up the pressure, and despite Bakewell gaining possession, their backs move foundered near ½ way, as an attempted kick ahead went straight into Callum Barry’s grasp, leaving Bakewell stranded as he sprinted away to get in for the touch down. 17 – 0
Casuals continued to dominate play.
Bakewell briefly maintained possession, but the ball carrier was tackled into touch.
Kris Jakuba made a telling break, and his offload just before the try line, gave hooker Graeme Roberts an easy run in for Casuals 4th try, and yet another bonus point. 22 - 0
Casuals went in for their 5th try, and it was Jakuba the provider yet again, his run taking him clean through before he found captain Stu Williams, to romp in.
Half time 27 – 0

Casuals made several breaks as they dominated most phases of play.
Stu Williams took play through from a lineout, which resulted in a lineout throw to Bakewell.
Several moves foundered, but eventually Casuals won a lineout on Bakewell’s 10 metre line, the ball went out Manny Cammarata, who went through before offloading to Howatson who then ran in his second try.
32 – 0
Jakuba then got his reward as provider in previous scores, as Howatson flipped a crisp pass to allow Jakuba to cross under the posts, which Higgins then converted.

Casuals, despite being well on top, failed to get on the score board again for nearly 20 minutes.
It was Bakewell through sheer doggedness got a small reward as they went in for a converted try.

Casuals finished off their scoring as the game was running to its conclusion,.
They were awarded a scrum 7 metres out, which they drove forward, setting up a move down the backs, and Ted Swales went in for his debut league try.
Higgins converted, leaving Casuals comfortable winners.

Next up, away to 2nd placed Belper on the 1st December, 2.15 kick off

Nottingham Casuals 1st XV against Bakewell
1. Alex Hawkins
2. Graeme Roberts
3. Steve Baraniak
4. Kieran Maisonnet
5. Matt Fox
6. Andy Harris
7. Henry Franklin
8. Stu Williams (Captain)
9. Mark Higgins
10. Yann Moysey
11. Callum Barry
12. Manny Cammarata
13. Brodie Howatson
14. Ted Swales
15. Kris Jakuba
16. Richard Gill
17. Matt Standen
18. Joe Barton