Leamington’s explosive attack provides a clinical display to engineer a seven try haul !

In anything but ideal playing conditions, Leamington’s explosive attack put in a clinical display to engineer a seven try haul and in doing so, move one place further up the league table.

Dunlop have had a very tough season so far, but had the chance to take an early lead, however their penalty attempt was pushed just wide of the uprights. They had in fact, put Leamington under some pressure from the start of the game and the hosts were grateful to winger, Garrett Bell, to get them out of defence, with a well directed and powerful kick to touch.

In their first major attack, skipper, Craig Smith, claimed lineout ball and allowed Leamington to move the ball across field, at pace, with Lewis Kelsey on the end of some slick handling. Alert to the possibilities, Kelsey made the ball available to his backline, who once again obliged with some quick hands back across the park. Full Back, Sam Nunn and Centre Danny Ruyssevelt linked superbly to get Connor Chamberlain, coming in from the far wing, away for a real “team score”. Ben Jenkins was just off target with the conversion attempt.

On sixteen minutes, with the Coventry side once again putting the hosts under pressure, a brilliant chip ahead from Scrum Half, ‘Patch’ Northover, following a scrum, caught the visitors stranded. Craig Smith chased the kick and earned just reward for his efforts, as he retrieved the ball and raced over between the posts for a fine individual score. The conversion was slotted over by Jenkins and Leamington were in control.

Jenkins added to the score minutes later with a well judged penalty kick, before his side went further ahead with some more quality football. Northover was the maestro, taking the ball from a Leamington scrum and sending over the deftest of kicks, for Garrett Bell to latch on to and race in to score. Jenkins once again added the extras.

Further reward was just around the corner when Smith picked up at the base of the scrum and set Northover away. The fleet-footed Scrum Half needed no prompting as he powered over for the try. This neat move was completed with Jenkins’s “drop kick” conversion.

The visitors were certainly having a difficult time now and a slight lapse of concentration in their backline was pounced upon by Leamington Centre, Toby Bruce, who snapped up the loose ball and headed straight for the try line, leaving a trail of Dunlop defenders in his wake.

Just before the half time break, Dunlop produced some quality play, recycling the ball quickly and finding a gap in the home defence to claim a converted score.

Half Time: 34 – 7

Dunlop started the second period with another Try, however it was to be their last time of troubling the scorer.

Handling conditions were poor and as the half progressed it was this issue that probably kept Leamington from making bigger inroads to the points tally. However, as they constantly probed and tested the Dunlop defence with some very intense attack play further scores were inevitable.

Craig Smith had already created a chance for Ruyssevelt and Bruce to exploit before Lewis Kelsey nearly unlocked the Dunlop defence with a blistering break. Now under severe pressure, Dunlop were unable to cope with the pace of Garrett Bell and when his run was extended by Smith and Northover, he was on hand to finish the move with a try.

With the game entering its final stages, Leamington had one more say on the matter. Winger, Connor Chamberlain took possession from a high clearance kick and set off on a mesmeric run. When the Dunlop defence finally managed to halt his break he had already off-loaded the ball to Tom Jewitt who quickly set Bell away with a neat pass, allowing the winger to claim his third try of the afternoon.

Full Time: 44 – 12

Next week, Leamington continue league duty with a short trip to Earlsdon, kick-off 3.oopm.