News Item: : Wolverhampton match report.
(Category: Seniors 1st XV News/Reports)
Posted by dwinter
Wednesday 31 March 2010 - 23:20:12
Willenhall 42 points Wolverhampton 15
Willenhall were the form team coming into this local derby, with 3 consecutive league wins and 4 from the last 5 outings, and within minutes of the start they were in then groove and looking for a convincing victory. The home team kicked off down the slope and as no Wolves player claimed it, young centre Mike Sadler almost gathered the bouncing ball for what would have been the quickest score of the season. However it did not take long for Willenhall to get on the score board. Wolves tried to move the ball wide in their own 22, lost possession and Tom Cowell and Sadler combined to force a penalty close to the side line which Ben Potts converted comfortably to give the home team a 3-0 lead after only 4 minutes. There was no let up for the visitors as, from the kick off, Townsend, Gilbert and Richardson drove from quick pick and drives. The ball was moved wide where Potts and Dyke ran threatening lines forcing the Wolves midfield into desperate defence. Wolverhampton again tried to punch up the middle but aggressive tackles by Ben Potts and Adam Clewley stopped them in their tracks. From a centre field scrum, Tibbitts broke blind and fed winger Dyke who chipped ahead. Micky Potts put in a good kick chase, pressurising the visitors into a hurried clearance. From the line out it was moved into midfield where Wolves were penalised at the breakdown and Ben Potts doubled the score with his second penalty. Once again from the kick off, Smith, Wharton and Gilbert drove back down the slope and when the ball was moved swiftly to Dyke on the right, he sprinted into the visitors 22 to set up another attacking position. Willenhall’s forwards were dominating possession and the visitors must have found intimidating the likes of Wharton, Richardson, Smith and Reece, barrelling back at them every time they turned the ball over. Even captain Tom Cowell popped up in the centre to blast his way forward. The next try was a peach (but not a Jon Peach). Smith’s clean line out take was moved to Sadler in the centre and he chipped over the defence to collect the ball himself and cross next to the posts. Ben Potts converted to take the score to 13-0 after 17 minutes. Wolverhampton tried to punch up the middle but the home defence of Potts, Sadler and Andy Jones were ready to smash down anything that came towards them and when they reverted to kicking, full back Micky Potts collected the ball and ran it back with interest. On 21 minutes, Willenhall were further in front thanks to the accurate goal kicking of fly half Potts. Tibbits made a searing break on the blind side of the scrum and Dyke supported making a good attacking platform. When the ball was moved left, Sadler sold an outrageous dummy but was held up 5 metres short. However the visitors were caught off side in midfield and Potts delivered to extend the lead to 16-0. Wolverhampton’s defence was now ready to crumble and when Thorley counter attacked, Matt Richardson took the ball on strongly. From the ruck, the home team used good hands via Ben Potts to Sadler who broke to within the 10 metres of the line and great support work from Nick Townsend saw the big flanker take the scoring pass and crash over under the posts. Ben Potts added the 2 extra points to extend the lead to 23-0. Things were going so well for Willenhall that lapses in concentration allowed Wolves back into the game with a penalty and a converted try with 10 minutes left of the half. However within those remaining 10 minutes Willenhall crushed their local rivals with a 19 points spree that saw 3 excellent tries. From a loose pass by the visitor’s scrum half, Thorley, Tibbitts and Clewley pressurised them into conceding a 5 metre scrum. The large crowd knew exactly what was coming and Tom Cowell drove his dominant pack over the line for a touch down that Ben Potts again converted to take it out to 30-10 to Willenhall. The kick off receipt was rifled back into the Wolves 22 by fly half Potts. A great pass by Micky Potts fed Thorley to run strongly and when the ball was recycled it was fed to Alan Dyke who broke a tackle to score in the corner from 15 metres out. Ben Potts missed his first kick of the day but Willenhall were again comfortable at 35-10 and the scoring was not yet finished. From a scrum on half way Tibbitts gave a beautiful pass to Micky Potts who cruised through the gap and drew the full back before giving a well timed pass to Dyke who finished at pace and went under the posts. Potts converted to make the half time score 42-10 to the home team.
Willehall knew the second half could not match up to the scorching rugby of the first half, especially playing up the slope and into a stiffening breeze. However they started as they left off, keeping ball and working their forwards in the driving game. Cowell, Townsend and Gilbert were prominent in the forwards and Sadler, Potts and Jones moved the ball well, probing for gaps in the visitors defence. Husband replaced Smith in the second row and shortly after Willenhall were caught sleeping when a quick tap penalty 30 metres out by the Wolves scrum half saw him stepping through a gap and scoring an unconverted try on 50 minutes to bring the score back to 42-15. Willenhall kicked off to the visitors and they immediately sent a long raking return back towards the home line. However Potts showed them what a dangerous ploy that was with a 50 metre run back into the attacking half. With the strengthening wind behind them the visitors kept Willenhall penned in their own half but their attacking play with ball in hand posed no threat to the strong tackling Willenhall side. Barker replaced Jones at centre and Spearman gave Reece a short rest in the front row as Sadler, Townsend and Thorley combined up the left hand side of the pitch with the flanker showing wonderful handling skills to set Thorley away and then being inside to receive the return pass. Tibbitts and Sadler supported well to continue the counter attack which had covered 65 metres and ended within 5 metres of the Wolverhampton line. If any of Willenhall’s attacks on the day deserved a try this one did, but the forwards could not add the final touch from the ruck. An injury to Spearman within 5 minutes of him entering the fray saw Reece returning to the field of play before he had cooled down. After such a breathtaking display in the first half it was always going to be difficult to match it in the second and, although they put some great phases of play together combining incisive back play with good driving forward work, poor final passes and forcing the final play let them down. However the win puts Willenhall safe in mid table (after a start to the season which saw them lose their first 5 matches) and it also sees Wolverhampton in serious danger of relegation.
Eric Field Press Officer, Willenhall RUFC
This news item is from WillenhallRUFC
( http://www.willenhallrufc.co.uk/news.php?extend.40 )
(Category: Seniors 1st XV News/Reports)
Posted by dwinter
Wednesday 31 March 2010 - 23:20:12
Willenhall 42 points Wolverhampton 15
Willenhall were the form team coming into this local derby, with 3 consecutive league wins and 4 from the last 5 outings, and within minutes of the start they were in then groove and looking for a convincing victory. The home team kicked off down the slope and as no Wolves player claimed it, young centre Mike Sadler almost gathered the bouncing ball for what would have been the quickest score of the season. However it did not take long for Willenhall to get on the score board. Wolves tried to move the ball wide in their own 22, lost possession and Tom Cowell and Sadler combined to force a penalty close to the side line which Ben Potts converted comfortably to give the home team a 3-0 lead after only 4 minutes. There was no let up for the visitors as, from the kick off, Townsend, Gilbert and Richardson drove from quick pick and drives. The ball was moved wide where Potts and Dyke ran threatening lines forcing the Wolves midfield into desperate defence. Wolverhampton again tried to punch up the middle but aggressive tackles by Ben Potts and Adam Clewley stopped them in their tracks. From a centre field scrum, Tibbitts broke blind and fed winger Dyke who chipped ahead. Micky Potts put in a good kick chase, pressurising the visitors into a hurried clearance. From the line out it was moved into midfield where Wolves were penalised at the breakdown and Ben Potts doubled the score with his second penalty. Once again from the kick off, Smith, Wharton and Gilbert drove back down the slope and when the ball was moved swiftly to Dyke on the right, he sprinted into the visitors 22 to set up another attacking position. Willenhall’s forwards were dominating possession and the visitors must have found intimidating the likes of Wharton, Richardson, Smith and Reece, barrelling back at them every time they turned the ball over. Even captain Tom Cowell popped up in the centre to blast his way forward. The next try was a peach (but not a Jon Peach). Smith’s clean line out take was moved to Sadler in the centre and he chipped over the defence to collect the ball himself and cross next to the posts. Ben Potts converted to take the score to 13-0 after 17 minutes. Wolverhampton tried to punch up the middle but the home defence of Potts, Sadler and Andy Jones were ready to smash down anything that came towards them and when they reverted to kicking, full back Micky Potts collected the ball and ran it back with interest. On 21 minutes, Willenhall were further in front thanks to the accurate goal kicking of fly half Potts. Tibbits made a searing break on the blind side of the scrum and Dyke supported making a good attacking platform. When the ball was moved left, Sadler sold an outrageous dummy but was held up 5 metres short. However the visitors were caught off side in midfield and Potts delivered to extend the lead to 16-0. Wolverhampton’s defence was now ready to crumble and when Thorley counter attacked, Matt Richardson took the ball on strongly. From the ruck, the home team used good hands via Ben Potts to Sadler who broke to within the 10 metres of the line and great support work from Nick Townsend saw the big flanker take the scoring pass and crash over under the posts. Ben Potts added the 2 extra points to extend the lead to 23-0. Things were going so well for Willenhall that lapses in concentration allowed Wolves back into the game with a penalty and a converted try with 10 minutes left of the half. However within those remaining 10 minutes Willenhall crushed their local rivals with a 19 points spree that saw 3 excellent tries. From a loose pass by the visitor’s scrum half, Thorley, Tibbitts and Clewley pressurised them into conceding a 5 metre scrum. The large crowd knew exactly what was coming and Tom Cowell drove his dominant pack over the line for a touch down that Ben Potts again converted to take it out to 30-10 to Willenhall. The kick off receipt was rifled back into the Wolves 22 by fly half Potts. A great pass by Micky Potts fed Thorley to run strongly and when the ball was recycled it was fed to Alan Dyke who broke a tackle to score in the corner from 15 metres out. Ben Potts missed his first kick of the day but Willenhall were again comfortable at 35-10 and the scoring was not yet finished. From a scrum on half way Tibbitts gave a beautiful pass to Micky Potts who cruised through the gap and drew the full back before giving a well timed pass to Dyke who finished at pace and went under the posts. Potts converted to make the half time score 42-10 to the home team.
Willehall knew the second half could not match up to the scorching rugby of the first half, especially playing up the slope and into a stiffening breeze. However they started as they left off, keeping ball and working their forwards in the driving game. Cowell, Townsend and Gilbert were prominent in the forwards and Sadler, Potts and Jones moved the ball well, probing for gaps in the visitors defence. Husband replaced Smith in the second row and shortly after Willenhall were caught sleeping when a quick tap penalty 30 metres out by the Wolves scrum half saw him stepping through a gap and scoring an unconverted try on 50 minutes to bring the score back to 42-15. Willenhall kicked off to the visitors and they immediately sent a long raking return back towards the home line. However Potts showed them what a dangerous ploy that was with a 50 metre run back into the attacking half. With the strengthening wind behind them the visitors kept Willenhall penned in their own half but their attacking play with ball in hand posed no threat to the strong tackling Willenhall side. Barker replaced Jones at centre and Spearman gave Reece a short rest in the front row as Sadler, Townsend and Thorley combined up the left hand side of the pitch with the flanker showing wonderful handling skills to set Thorley away and then being inside to receive the return pass. Tibbitts and Sadler supported well to continue the counter attack which had covered 65 metres and ended within 5 metres of the Wolverhampton line. If any of Willenhall’s attacks on the day deserved a try this one did, but the forwards could not add the final touch from the ruck. An injury to Spearman within 5 minutes of him entering the fray saw Reece returning to the field of play before he had cooled down. After such a breathtaking display in the first half it was always going to be difficult to match it in the second and, although they put some great phases of play together combining incisive back play with good driving forward work, poor final passes and forcing the final play let them down. However the win puts Willenhall safe in mid table (after a start to the season which saw them lose their first 5 matches) and it also sees Wolverhampton in serious danger of relegation.
Eric Field Press Officer, Willenhall RUFC
This news item is from WillenhallRUFC
( http://www.willenhallrufc.co.uk/news.php?extend.40 )