Match report for Sat 7th January 2012
St Benedict's are capable of spoiling anybody's party and this away fixture was a tough way to start the new year and if anything was going to blow away the cobwebs of the festive season this was it. Kirkby were expecting a warm reception, not necessarily the social kind. The recent prolonged and heavy rain had rendered the home team pitch unplayable and the game was switched to the Copeland Centre ground where a bitter wind swept bursts of icy rain across the pitch. Happy New Year!
Kirkby welcomed newcomer, Nathan Woof, into the starting fifteen and from the kick off set up field position in Bennies territory where, at the first ruck of the game their number seven Gordon Maudling tried to kick anything but the ball and within two minutes was resting in the bin. Kirkby put the penalty into touch around ten metres out, caught cleanly from their lineout, grouped and drove for the line and although the home team put up good resistance they could not stop the ever alert Kirkby scrum half Lucian Morosan picking up and scoring a typically opportunistic try. The wind blew the conversion away but a 0 - 5 score within the first few minutes was the start Kirkby would have hoped for.
From the restart play assumed fifty-fifty proportions with each side mounting and repelling attacks and it was clear that whilst Kirkby had had the better start there was still a lot of mileage in the game. As play went back and forth the contest had a ferocious edge and when a scuffle broke out midfield a restored and fully refreshed Gordon ran twenty metres to land a haymaker on a Kirkby player. This attracted the ref's attention who called the Bennies Captain and Gordon over to remind both that Gordon already had one yellow, but to the relief of St Benedict's supporters and the amazement of the Kirkby travelling faithful, he stayed on the pitch.
St Benedict's were unlucky not to score from a lineout some fifteen metres from the Kirkby line when the ball was tapped back to the Hooker who charged down the line but was bundled into touch as he tried to ground the ball by the corner flag. Kirkby won their own ball at the scrum and cleared but the crossfield wind robbed any distance, Bennies were able to keep the pressure on and from their lineout worked the ball towards the Kirkby line where they dived over to level the score at 5 - 5. As the half developed Lucian Morosan was unlucky to be yellow carded for what the ref adjudged to be the second time he'd tackled within ten metres and St Benedict's were able to take advantage of the extra man to score their second try to lead 10 - 5.
As the half time whistle approached Kirkby were on the attack inside the Bennies twenty two, a sequence of rucks had pulled in defenders and Morosan whipped the ball left where, after a couple of passes, prop Ryan Holmes found himself with the ball and one man to beat. Ignoring the Maori side step option he sold an outrageous dummy and cantered in, Chris Ramwell was on target with a beautifully judged conversion which curled in on the wind and Kirkby went into half time with a precious 10 - 12 lead.
Kirkby are fit and as the second half progressed their fitness started to tell. Maintaining position in opposition territory they won a sequence of scrums near the Bennies line and from one, Jack Konczynski, playing at six dived over only to be disallowed the try for knocking on as he grounded the ball, he didn't agree. However, the pressure was on and when St Benedict's went offside in defence Chris Ramwell banged over the penalty to extend the lead to 10 - 15.
The second half became a bit of a stop start affair with the Bennies Physio seeing a lot of action and it was difficult for either side to develop continuity, but as the half wore on Bennies rallied and their back division, particularly centre Kurt Maudling, caused problems for Kirkby. Nothing they couldn't handle though and as the game drew to a close Kirkby were running the clock down with a series of pick and drives but were unfortunate to knock on. The resulting St Benedict's scrum was nominated by the ref as the last play and despite a big shove by Kirkby they won their ball and spun it down the line and as the Kirkby backs closed in Bennies, surprisingly, hoisted the ball. The game then came to a somewhat spectacular if fortuitous end when as the ball fell, Nathan Woof, some fifteen or so metres in from his left touch, swung his right foot at it on the full to dispatch it to touch. But it spun off the outside of his boot and all thirty players, the subs, the ref and the spectators, transfixed and with varying degrees of emotion, followed it's flight on the wind and into touch on the opposite side of the field. Not as planned perhaps but it was game over and Kirkby remain in second place in the league.
This report can't end without mention of Kirkby second's magnificent away win at previously unbeaten Fleetwood, a 19 - 20 stuffing, well played Lee Benson's Wanderers.
Friday 13th of January 2012
