Nott'm Casuals 35 Lincoln 0

Midlands 2 East North
21st December 2019

Nott'm Casuals 35 Lincoln 0
Brief version of match report

The game was moved to Canalside as Lincoln's ground was waterlogged.
Fortunately for Casuals, even with their well drained ground, they had only one pitch fit enough to play on.
In the end, it proved a huge boost for Casuals, as they ran in 5 tries, all converted, grabbing a bonus point for the 1st time this season.

Kick off 2.15

22 minutes Niall O'Kane, right wing
Casuals won a lineout, the ball went down the line just inside Lincoln’s ½, and O’Kane chipped ahead, winning the chase for the touch down.
James Wood converted

35 minutes
Lincoln tried a kick ahead on their own 10 metre, much too shallow, and Casuals’ captain Stu Williams (2nd row) reached up to intercept, and sprinted away from a flat footed defence.
Wood converted again
½ time 14 – 0

5 minutes into 2nd half
Casuals recycled the ball, it went to Liam Tighe, who put in a great run, finally giving it to Dan O’ Connor, who forced his way in for the try.
Converted by Wood

20 minutes
Lincoln didn’t help their cause, by getting a yellow card.
Almost immediately Casuals drove a take from the lineout, and back rower Steve Sarno dived in.
Wood conversion.

Finally, on 31 minutes, Tighe put in another strong run, and when the ball went loose, sub Joe Barton hacked ahead, and it was Stu Williams following up from 35 metres out, dived on the ball in the in goal for the try.
Wood again converting.

It was certainly not as easy as the score might suggest, but Casuals ending a long run of defeats, were grateful to have played, and must thank Lincoln for making the journey to Canalside, giving all the players a chance to have a run out.

These are never easy circumstances, because of the RFU regulations, prior to the New Year, games can be switched to the oppositions ground, which involved quite a lot of email interchanges.
The home side must then get a referee, and on this occasion Mr Dudley, an ex player from Lincoln drove the 1 1/2 hours to Beeston rather than to Lincoln.

The result has created a gap between Casuals and the 2 bottom clubs, Lincoln and Ashfield, Ashfield who Casuals play at home on the 11th January.

Scorers:
Niall O’Kane 22
Stu Williams 2 tries
Dan O'Connor 1 try
Steve Sarno 1 try
James Wood 5 conversions.

Team that actually played
15 HOWATSON BRODIE
14 TIGHE LIAM
13 O KANE NIALL
12 WOOD JAMES
11 O'CONNOR DANIEL
10 MOYSEY YANN
9 HIGGINS MARK
1 NORMAN CARL
2 BARANIAK STEPHEN
3 HAWKINS ALEX Y
4 WILLIAMS STUART Capt
5 MAISONNET KIERAN
6 SARNO STEPHEN
7 HARDING BARRY
8 BROWNLIE CHRISTOPHER
Subs
16 DOLAN JOSEF Y
17 BARTON JOE
18 RILEY DANNY

Scorers:
Niall O'Kane
Stu Williams 2 tries
Dan O'Connor 1 try
Steve Sarno 1 try
James Wood 5 conversions.