Nottingham Casuals 43 Nottingham Moderns 7

Nottingham Casuals 43 Nottingham Moderns 7
Midlands 3 East North
12th January 2019

Casuals continued their unbeaten run, with their 13th straight win in the league, with 11 now bringing a 4 try bonus point, leading the league by a 21 point margin, as nearest rivals Belper lose.
Moderns made Casuals work for the win, as they tested Casuals’ defences early on, but Moderns fell away later in the 2nd half, the hosts crossing for 7 tries, in total, 4 being converted.

Casuals made a number of changes in their line up, with Andy Crimmins partnering Yann Moysey at half back, James Wood linking with Liam Tighe in the centre.
Captain Stu Williams came back in at No. 8

Casuals had plenty of ball in the opening minutes, but errors kept giving possession back to Moderns, allowing them to mount attacks pushing Casuals back, but the hosts resisted fairly easily before moving back to Moderns territory.
A simple well tried sequence when Casuals kicked to touch from a penalty. The forwards put in a huge drive from the lineout, giving the backs room to get the ball out. A miss move on 15 minutes gave Kris Jakuba a load of room down the wing, and he skinned the defence to run in for the try, James Wood adding the conversion from wide out. (His first place kick in months, so a good start)
Moderns had a chance to get on the score sheet from a penalty attempt, but fortunately the kick missed.
Casuals then continued to press the Moderns line. Yet another penalty to touch, nearly led to a Maisonnet touch down, his attempt ending agonisingly close.
Casuals lost Henry Franklin to injury, which saw Simon Roberts come on.
He was instrumental in setting up the next try, as he took a quick penalty, allowing scrum half Andy Crimmins to get in from the back of the ensuing ruck. Wood converted again.
Casuals kept the pressure on, but again failed to keep possession, and the ½ ended with no further scores.

A lively start to the second half, the forwards instrumental again getting the go forward, and some simple play on 6 minutes, some swift recycling sent the ball down the line, Niall O’Kane made the initial break wide out, and he sent Brodie Howatson away for a simple run to the try line, taking the score to 19 points to nil.
O’Kane then showed his pace, as he took a similar path to the line. He intercepted a Moderns pass on Casuals’ right wing, and his pace took him clear from the 10 metre line, Moderns left totally flat footed.
Unfortunately the conversion kick hit the upright. 24 – 0
On 19 minutes, the ref played advantage from a Casuals’ throw, adjudging it not straight, and Moderns took their chance to cross for a converted try. 24 – 7
But that proved a short lived revival, and Casuals then pressed their advantage home.
Mark Higgins, (who had come on at outside half, in place of Moysey) gathered a loose ball, he linked with O’Kane and Jon Ackroyd, before receiving the final pass to go in for the 5th try which was converted by Wood 31 - 7
36 “ Graeme Roberts 36 - 7
A Moderns kick went dead over Casuals dead ball line, resulting in a Casuals’ scrum back upfield. Another attack took Casuals close to Moderns line, and Graeme Roberts was on hand to grab the try, adding to his ever increasing tally for the season.
On 38 minutes winger Kris Jakuba again showed his blistering pace, taking him round the Moderns defence from near ½ way, Wood again added the conversion, giving a final score of 43 - 7.

The 1sts now have a week off from league action, before travelling to Derby on the 26th, to take on Rolls Royce.

1. Alex Hawkins
2. Pete Underwood
3. Steve Baraniak
4. Jon Ackroyd
5. Kieran Masionett
6. Henry Franklin
7. Graeme Roberts
8. Stu Williams (C)
9. Andy Crimmins
10. Yann Moysey
11. Kris Jakuba
12. James Wood (VC)
13. Liam Tighe
14. Niall O’Kane
15. Brodie Howatson
16. Richard Gill
17. Simon Roberts
18. Mark Higgins