Casuals retain their league status

Midlands 2 East (N)

Midlands 2 East (N)

Casuals 11 Dronfield 7

Casuals hang on grimly to secure win to guarantee their survival in the league, but it wasn’t without some scary moments.
Needing to win to make sure that they could not be caught, and what a relief at the end, as Casuals held on, to deny Kesteven, who themselves needed to win to overtake Casuals, and by the looks of it, they came pretty close, gaining losing bonus points, but not quite getting there.

Who cares that the quality of play was not the spectacle that the crowd might have hoped for, but in the end the job was done, so another season in this league beckons.

Credit to the forwards for their immense efforts again, commiserations and thanks to Dronfield for not keeping hold of the ball at crucial times, and a massive defensive effort again to hold firm.

Playing with the wind, Casuals would have hoped for a good return, but the were unable to convert territorial advantage into substantial lead.
Mark Higgins gave Casuals an early lead with a penalty from the 10 metre line, wide out, but was not able to repeat the feat minutes later.

Casuals kept up the pressure, but a series of knock ons and penalties restricted them. Even a big break from Ben Barkham was stopped just short of the line, frustrating the home side again
Dronfield’s inability to hold onto the ball in the face of some ferocious tackling, helped, prevented them escaping their half.
Casuals were awarded another penalty when Chris Brelsford was clothes lined making a break, but the kick was hooked wide of the posts.
Eventually Casuals crossed for a try. A lineout on Dronfields 22 gave Casuals backs to put together a slick move, with a simple loop, giving Steve Naylor a bit of room, and he built up some steam, blasting defenders out of his path, to cross wide out.

Casuals turned round only 8 points up, and with the wind in their faces, it looked that the second half might prove difficult.
Dronfield got to Casuals line, but were penalised for a double movement in trying to touch down, and Casuals were able to clear to get back upfield. Eventually they worked their way to within kicking range, and Higgins put over his second kick.
It was Dronfield’s turn to up the intensity, and they made several forays to get up to Casuals goal line.
They almost got through but they were frustrated by Casuals, until they eventually forced a scrum.
The drive was held up, briefly but Dronfield picked up and were awarded the try, seemingly on just on the line, the subsequent kick pulling Dronfield back to within striking distance of a win.
Casuals once again went back into Dronfield’s half, and despite the wind against them, they retained field position for another good period, which should have brought greater reward, and despite 4 attempted penalty kicks, they could not get the points they deserved.
The forwards were making huge territorial gains, but Casuals just could not get the match clinching score.

Dronfield then came back strongly and threatened to score on more than one occasion, and although they breached Casuals’ defences, they just could not get over.
One last final attack was thwarted as the pass was adjudged forward, and Dronfield were denied the score, which could have given them victory.

Casuals managed to hang on to give them the win, and end a frustrating league campaign, but the relief was all too plain to see, on and off the field

Thanks Melton for helping our cause,by beating Kesteven. But for the 10 point deduction, Melton could have been competing to stay up