OLD NORTHAMPTONIANS 15-19 SYSTON

For the ONs visit to Syston, Matt Mills returned at no 6 in the one change to the pack but with Alex Crofts sustaining a leg injury against Rugby Lions and Ross Kevan still not fully recovered from an ankle ligament problem there was a “new look” three quarter line.Matt Ireland moved from the wing to scrum half,Jake Spencer no 13 last week taking his place,Ollie Storey making his 1st XV debut and Matt Love,returning after a year out following knee surgery,made up the centre pairing.The bench comprised Aaron Butel,Ash Fullthorpe and a second debutant in Dean Morgan.

Newly promoted Syston ran away with their league last year and have started this season with four wins out of five games played and they improved their record with this narrow win.Both sides had opportunities to increase the points for but the normally reliable Alex Rose missed two penalties,albeit not easy ones,while Syston turned down at least three kickable chances to go for touch,much to the disgust of their support and as Jeff knows only 10% of line outs result in tries.

The rain had stopped but the surface remained greasy as Syston kicked off and took an early lead when a poor kick out by the ONs was run back and Adam Davey went over under the posts giving Ian Smith an easy conversion.Matt Mills forced a penalty from the restart which Alex Rose kicked and again from the kick off the ONs regained the ball and Rose linked with Mills before he found Richard Blank in support.Blank slid a kick through the defence resulting in an attacking throw in close to the opposition line but the ball was lost and when the ONs gained a turnover at a scrum 15 metres out,they won the put in however they again conceded possession in contact allowing Syston to clear.The ONs first try came from another scrum close to the Syston line when Ian Rogers picked up from the base and following a series of forward drives the ball was recycled for James Maule to plunge over.Rose added the two points to give the visitors a 10-7 lead,a lead which was short lived as Blank made a complete mess of falling on a ball kicked through, presenting Carl Wesley following up,with the simplest of tries.Smith added the conversion and the next period of play produced little rugby of note as both teams struggled with the slippery ball but after Rose had missed his third attempt at goal he made a break from inside his own half and found Storey in support,he handed on to Sam Howes who in turn passed to Rogers and after he was held up over the line the ONs won the resulting scrum and Matt Ireland dived over.
Rose missed,for him,an easy conversion and was also wide with a long range drop goal attempt as the second half began.
Syston came back strongly but the ONs defence held firm until they were reduced to 14 men following a yellow card for Ireland and eventually Adam Nunney drove over from close range to give the home side a 19-15 advantage with 20 minutes to play.Restored to 15 it was the ONs turn to pressurise the Syston line however composure and poor execution let them down at critical times and the home side held on to record their victory.

ONs:Tom Harris,Richard Blank,Ollie Storey(Dean Morgan 45mins),Matt Love,Jake Spencer,Alex Rose,Matt Ireland,Sam Howes(Ash Fullthorpe 65mins),Ian Rogers,Matt Mills,Matt Bedden,Rhys Hughes,Joe Hawksworth(Aaron Butel 45mins),James Maule,Mark Edwards.

Man of the Match:Matt Mills