News & EventsLatest NewsCalendar
Army Players feature in GB Armed Forces RL win

Army Players feature in GB Armed Forces RL win

Tim Holland16 May 2014 - 20:25
Share via
FacebookTwitter
https://www.pitchero.com/clubs

The first match of the inaugural RFL Associations Cup provided a great spectacle of good open Rugby with 74 points being scored between the teams.

Courtesy of GB Armed Forces RL:

RFL Associations Cup 1st Round - GBAF 44:30 GB Police. Played 10 May 14.

Despite the forecast for heavy and prolonged rain the weather stayed dry throughout although the continuous stiff breeze made life difficult for the kickers. This breeze helped create a bizarre opening to the match, the AF kick off was misjudged by the police defence, the ball bouncing touch in goal and from the resulting drop out AF took full advantage. Quick hands had the ball out to Army Winger Zac Yabia who beat the Police defence to touch down in the corner with barely two minutes on the clock. The Police responded soon afterwards though with another unusual score, a promising attack by the Police appeared to have stalled on the last tackle but the ball came loose and the AF defence failed to gather cleanly allowing Police stand-off Ryan Heeley to pick up the ball and touch down from a yard out, Adam Newton converted so after 7 minutes the Police had the advantage 4:6. This set the pattern for the first quarter of the game which was played at a fantastic pace. Next to score was AF skipper Chris Gordon who wriggled out of the tackle to touch down under the posts following good approach play, Si Wray putting over the first of his six conversions. The Police response was almost immediate, a break by second row Jason Southwell freed hooker Jon McCloud who beat the AF defence to cross under the posts from 25 yards out, another conversion for Newton put his side in front for the first time in the match. Back came the AF and a great pass out to winger Yabia saw him race to the line this time getting round the defence to give Wray an easier conversion, AF regaining the lead 16:12. The pace of the game dropped understandably as the frantic start to the game took its toll and despite breaks for both sides it was another ten minutes before the next score. AF Skipper Chris Gordon proved too agile for the Police defence touching down again under the posts, Si Wray making the easy conversion. Five minutes later it was déjà vu for the AF, more good approach play gave Kev Botwood half a chance but the Police line held firm however the ball came back to Gordon who once again touched down under the posts to claim his hat trick score which was again converted by winger Wray. This completed the scoring for the half and after a thoroughly entertaining 40 minutes AF went off 28:12 ahead.
The Police had much the better of the early exchanges in the second half with a majority of the play being in AF territory. This pressure failed to yield any points until the 15th minute when influential 2nd Row Jason Southwell gathered the ball from a kick rebound to touchdown under the posts, another conversion for Newton closed the gap to ten points. The gap was closed to just 4 points five minutes later, winger Russ McKeown beat the AF defence to get round under the posts to make Newton’s conversion that much easier 28:24. The game was by now very well balanced as the match entered the last quarter and it seemed the next score would be the clincher. A penalty conceded by the Police gave the AF a great opportunity which they took full advantage of, the ball was spun out wide to Si Wray who in turn passed back inside to AF No 11 Jordan Anrade who proved unstoppable from 15yards out. After providing the pass to his RAF teammate Wray stepped up and hit a great conversion into the wind to increase the AF advantage to 10 points. Anrade almost turned from hero to villain as he knocked on from the kick off however a crucial knock on by the Police with the line open ahead of them spared the 2nd Rowers blushes. Anrade more than made up for the error in the next passage of play breaking from deep in his own half sending the AF off again. Si Wray came in off his wing to take the ball on before passing inside to Ben Taylor who had battled illness to make the game and was rewarded with his first GBAF touchdown. The wind beat Si Wray’s conversion attempt but the AF were now 14 points to the good with barely 5 minutes to go. The game however had more scores to come before full time! Once again AF failed to deal with the restart giving the Police good field position, centre Matt Stringer rounding off the attack to touchdown left of the posts and with another good strike from loose forward Newton the Police had closed again and were only eight points behind. AF had the last word however and in the dying seconds of the match another GB debutant RN stand-off Ryan Matthews crossed and with Si Wray putting over his sixth conversion the final whistle brought a great game to an end. Credit to both sides for putting on a thoroughly entertaining match played in the bets spirit of the game highlighted by the very low penalty count. GB AF sponsors Landmarc Solutions provided the man of the match award which was presented to AF Hooker Kev Botwood who had probably his best game to date in GBAF colours.
Teams
GBAF:- Bamford, Yabia, Picken, Colley, Wray, Matthews, Lawless, Metcalfe, Botwood, Gordon, Anrade, Taylor, Bradley. Interchanges: Colley, Brand, Kamikamica, Haldenby – Sharpe
Coach- Damian Clayton
Scorers:- T- Gordon(3), Yabia(2), Taylor, Matthews. G- Wray (6 Conv)

GB Police Clemie, McKeown, Stringer, Sheffield, Green, Heeley, Cowling, Davies, McLoud, Chappell, Gross, Southwell, Newton Interchanges: Dixon, Mack R, Mack A, Gleeve, - Bownass
Coach-Jon Hamer
Scorers:- T-Heeley, McCloud, Southwell, McKeown, Stringer G- Newton (5 Conv)

Man Of The Match GBAF No9 Kev Botwood

Video highlights of the game are available here.

The full match is available to view here.

Further reading