Casuals complete the double over Loughborough

Saturday 11th January 2014

Midlands 2 East (N)

Nottingham Casuals 13 Loughborough 10

Casuals completed the double over Loughborough in a hard fought contest at Canalside, seeing them creep slowly up the league.
After the previous week’s very welcome long awaited league win, Casuals returned to Beeston to record a second well deserved win of 2014, and prove the previous result against mid-table Loughboro’ was no fluke.
It was once again Casuals dogged determination, and the pressure they put the visitors under, that proved to be the difference. They rarely allowed Loughborough much room to set up their attacks.

But it was actually Loughborough who opened the scoring, kicking a penalty after only 5 minutes.
After that it was Casuals who put together the more meaningful moves, and with forwards winning good possession, the ball was moved around consistently.
A penalty kick to the corner, lead to a drive from lineout, and when Casuals were awarded a scrum, a quick ball out found winger Steve Naylor coming through in the centre, and he fed Ben Barkham to drop over for the try.
Unfortunately Loughborough regained the lead when full back Pete Shaw somehow found a way through for a try that was converted.

Casuals reduced the lead shortly afterwards, when Mark Higgins was successful with a penalty kick.

The second half saw Casuals become more dominant as they cranked up the pressure, and they should have increased their score, but for some missed opportunities.

When Casuals eventually gave winger Naylor a chink of room to get moving, he blasted his way down the 5 metre tramline to score in the corner.

Casuals hung on to their lead by stifling Loughborough for the rest of the encounter, and the joy was evident when the final whistle was blown.