Nottingham Casuals 20 Melbourne 20

Midlands 2 East North

1st Nov 2014

Nottingham Casuals 20 Melbourne 20

Casuals performed the great escape when they hauled Melbourne back, when they had a 12 point lead with only 10 minutes to go.
Melbourne must have thought they had clinched the points, and probably felt hard done by, as they had the win snatched from under their noses.

Casuals had the chance to take an early lead, but the attempted penalty kick into the wind went well wide, which allowed Melbourne to clear the ball downfield.
Melbourne then had the benefit of the wind at their backs, which put in position to take the lead, when they successfully kicked at goal.
Despite the setback, Casuals grabbed the kick off, and took play back up-field, and their pressure led to Melbourne transgressing and losing a man to a yellow card (the first of 5 during the game)
Casuals then had a penalty kick to touch which took them close to Melbourne’s line, but they contrived to lose possession, and Melbourne were awarded a scrum. Casuals showed their teeth, when they took the put in, and Mark Higgins scooted over in the corner. Unfortunately, the kick was missed.
Melbourne benefited from another penalty, and they pinned Casuals into the corner form the touch kick.
Henry Franklin was then yellow carded, and Melbourne regained the lead with the kick at goal.
Minutes later Casuals received a second yellow card, however they held out for the remaining minutes of the 1st half

Turning round, Casuals could have been expected to get the upper hand with the wind assisting them, but inexplicably they went off the boil.
For 20 minutes they seemed to have little desire to compete, probably the result of very poor ball retention, and some absolutely horrible transfer of the ball in planned moves.
Surrendering the ball by Casuals, when on the attack, gave Melbourne too much easy possession, and they were able to push back upfield, eventually getting over for a converted try.
Casuals responded with a penalty kick, but the revival was short lived, as the home side seemed to lose any impetus, and Melbourne found it all too easy to gain territory, and they secured their second touch down.
Casuals then got their 3rd yellow card, and moments later they found themselves further behind when Melbourne crossed for a converted touch down, after Casuals lost possession on their own put in.
Casuals seemed to lose their enthusiasm for the contest, and they looked to heading for a humiliating loss, as Melbourne had the upper hand without having to work too hard.

Then with only ten minutes to go, the realisation that they could still clinch a victory, Casuals sprang into life.

Casuals won the ball at a maul, and Higgins skinned the defence to cross in the corner, but his conversion kick went well off target, which could have left Casuals with only a losing bonus point.
However Casuals were invigorated by the score, and they forced their way to Melbourne’s try line, and Ben Barkham found a gap in the defence to cross for Casuals 3rd try, which Higgins converted to grab a most unlikely and joyously accepted draw.