Ossett Rugby

Ossett 20 15 Rods
Tries: Dey, Drury & Peat
Conv: Drury
Pen: Drury

Player of Year Points: picked by Jez B
5 = J.Drury
4 = Sprott
3 = Dey
2 = Whitehead
1 = Lazenby

Rods will feel mightily disappointed to have lost a game they could have won. Ossett have lost close games this year having played well and were given their first real slice of luck this season by winning a game that could quite easily have gone the other way.

Ossett started on the front foot and two excellent catch and drives took Ossett to within a couple of yards but failed to get over. The constant pressure eventually told as Dey threw a dummy, burst through a tackle and rounded the full back to score a well taken try.

The rest of the half was a scrappy affair with few clear cut chances as Rods came more and more into the game. Just as the half time whistle sounded a scuffle broke out and Matt Dey received a yellow card for throwing a couple of punches. I think a yellow card was the right call but Ossett could not have had any complaints if it was red.

Playing with a man down for the first 10 minutes proved a crucial turning point. Rods played the perfect game plan against a side with a centre missing and moved the ball wide looking for the extra space scoring two tries on the right wing within 5 minutes. Both conversions from the touchline were on track but didn’t have the legs making the score 10-7.

Ossett continued to enjoy lots of possession and territory but the execution was poor. A penalty levelled the scores as Ossett continued to falter.

With 12 mins left a rare excursion into Ossetts half produced another clinical finish on the right wing to make it 15-10. Rods missed the conversion and another penalty that would have given the some breathing space.

With 7 mins left Ossett through caution to the wind with Drury making a break from his own 22. Passing to Dey who sprinted up the wing before offloading to Lazenby who passed back to Drury to finish the move he started under the posts to make it 15-15. Inexplicably Drury missed the kick making the draw look like the final result.

When your luck is down things tending to go against you and a fly hack through was chased down by Jack Peat. The full back fumbled the ball and Peat kicked through. With the ball bobbling around on the 5 metre line Peat opted to kick through again. Having looked to have kicked it too far, he just managed to touch it down before it went dead to make it 20-15.

Overall a stuttering performance but a win all the same. There were some good aspects to the play especially the catch and drive and some of the attacking play however there was not enough urgency in defence and lack of composure with the try line in sight.

Fair play to Rods who travelled with a large supporting contingent who would have felt bitterly disappointed. I thought Ossett were the better side over the 80 minutes but we were lucky to get the win against a Rods side that were more clinical with their opportunities.

Finally, if anyone wants to do a match report from time to time – be my guest. I seem to have a bit less time than I usually do with the arrival of Lara!!!