Fun in the sun

Askeans hosted Lordswood and Old Elthamians this weekend. Historically two tough fixtures.

Askeans 1s began the day kicking off at 1pm on the all weather. A solid start from the Askeans pack , who were on top of their game all day created an overlap for the backs, the ball was shipped out wide to Ben Hughes who darted into the corner for a fine try. Conversion missed. Unrelenting pressure from the Askeans pack led to a push over try from a driving maul by someone under a pile of bodies that I couldn't make out. Conversion missed. Lordswood came back strong and scored the next try following a good break down the right. Conversion missed. Half time 10 -5.

Second half started with the lordswood fly half not making 10. Askeans should have scored next and pretty much did but Joe Blackman having made an excellent break and rounding four defenders inexplicably dropped the ball when putting it down in the dead ball area. Next came a try for lordswood against the run of play. The tall winger who had a quiet game got the ball in the middle of the pitch and waltzed past some quite frankly terrible defending to touchdown in the corner. Conversion missed. Lordswood had the momentum yet the next score came from Askeans. A break down the left to the 22 led to a penalty being awarded. Matt Stokes heard the call so took a pop at the sticks and middled his drop goal (maybe drop goal your conversions stokesy!!). Lordswood were still in the hunt and were enjoying their best spell of the game with 10 minutes to go when the turning point of the game came. A good break down the right saw the overlap created but the 15 decided to go himself and was halted by a Stuart Pearce style tackle from Dom Bolas who had not long got onto the pitch. The 15 got very upset by this, and probably the fact he butchered a certain try, and came back round the ruck after the whistle and punched Dom in the side of the head. The referee gave Dom a deserved yellow card but then somehow gave the same card to the 15 who should count himself very lucky . This retaliation however led to the penalty call being reversed. This appeared to take the wind out of the lordswood sails and two late Askean tries following an opportunistic break from Adam Brett for the first and Pat Johns finishing some great forward and back interplay for the second sealed the much needed bonus point. Final score 23-10.

Twos report to follow