NOTTINGHAM CASUALS 15 BELGRAVE 19

Saturday 17th Nov 2012
Midland 2 East 2 (north)
NOTTINGHAM CASUALS 15 BELGRAVE 19
Casuals came away from the game with a losing bonus point, but they
could have won this one very easily.
They started the game very brightly, and pressured Belgrave for
several minutes. Casuals however lost possession, and the ball was
cleared upfield, where a handling error helped Belgrave to get to
Casuals 22. Casuals were awarded a penalty to ease the pressure, then
worked their way back into Belgrave territory, and Mark Higgins
converted a penalty to give Casuals the lead briefly.
Casuals again exerted some pressure, but gave away a penalty on the
Belgrave’s try line, which gave the visitors some respite. Once again
Casuals came back, but just could not their game together to get the
try.
Belgrave then came back, and despite Casuals defence holding for a
time, it was Belgrave who scored the first try of the game after 28
minutes to gain a 3 to 7 lead.
Casuals pressured the kick off, gaining possession, they launched an
attack, from which they were eventually awarded a penalty, and Higgins
kicked his second goal.
Moments later Casuals contrived to lose a scrum on their own line, and
Belgrave scrum went over for the try , which was converted.
Higgins reduced the lead again with a penalty to trail 9 – 14 at half
time.
One minute into the second half, and a familiar problem, when a kick
ahead was easily fielded, and Casuals had to defend when they should
have been on the attack. Belgrave had room to put pace on the move, and
they went through for an unconverted try.
After that possession changed hands regularly and both sides were tryng
to launch attacks, but Casuals gained some ascendency, but simply could
not turn the ample possession that the forwards were gaining into
points.
Wrong decisions in trying to force the game, combined with some nervous
handling, and some basic errors kept Casuals from getting a score.
Despite playing the game in Belgrave’s half they simply could not
conjure a meaningful move, and it was only 2 more penalties from
Higgins that gave Casuals scoreline some respectability, and the losing
bonus point.