Coalville 29 Nottingham Casuals 17

Sat 20th Sept 2014
Midlands 2 East North
Coalville 29 Nottingham Casuals 17

Casuals last visit to Coalville saw them succumb to a hefty defeat, when the hosts won promotion, but after a drastic season, Coalville came straight back down.
But they proved they are still a force to be reckoned with.

Fielding a much changed side from the previous week, Casuals performed well in many facets of the game, but old failings came to the fore with too much wasted ball, and several missed scoring opportunities that could have given them at least 2 league points, which would have been fair reward.

Casuals had to endure an opening barrage from Coalville, but it was Casuals who opened the scoring early on, when Higgins put a cross field kick for winger Danny Riley to field the bouncing ball and wrestle his away over for the try, giving a 5 point lead.

Casuals then found themselves under more pressure, and it soon became apparent that Coalville had the advantage in the scrum, as their technique and weight advantage soon began to tell.
Casuals were then penalised on their own scrum put in, and Coalville put the kick into touch, and then drove over for a converted try.

Casuals then managed to surrender good possession with a very loose kick, and it was run back, leading to a penalty against Casuals, giving Coalville an easy 3 points.

Casuals lost centre Sean Roberts due to injury, and shortly afterwards Tom Lighfoot suffered a facial injury, following contact with someones stud, and he had to leave he field to get some medical attention.

Coalville used their set piece power to force their way upfield, and Casuals were fortunate that Coalville not turn the territorial advantage, as Casuals managed to spoil their progress. But they could not prevent Coalville eventually making their way to another try from another scrum down.

It was Casuals tenacity, and keeping the ball in play, rather than taking contact, which caused Coalville onto the back foot, and it was a formula that Casuals should have adopted for the remainder of the game, seeing how easily they could make progress.
Casuals next try came following Coalville conceding a free kick, and Ben Barkham showed some quick thinking as he took a quick tap, and darted over for a try near to the posts, which unfortunately was not converted.
Casuals followed this up with another bout of quick moves, and when the ball was kept alive, and just when it looked that the ball might be lost, Higgins managed to get the pass away to Steve Naylor who outstripped the defence down the wing, and run round under the posts, giving Higgins an easy kick for the conversion, and a deserved 2 point lead.

Coalville upped their game, and their scrum half ripped through to touch down for another converted try, for Coalville to regain a slender lead. It still looked possible for Casuals to not only to come out with a bonus point, but to even win the game.
But some poorly taken options, and some speculative kicking gave the possession back to Coalville.

The score that sealed the result for Coalville was almost farcical. A badly directed kick out was volleyed back on the full, and with the referee ignoring several advancing players way in front of the kicker, Casuals were left outnumbered, and one of the offside players grabbed the bouncing ball and went over for another converted try.

Match statistics for this game need editing!!!!!!!!!