Old Yardleians 7 - 28 Southam

Southam get the job done

On a wet and sodden day it was not an optimum day for running rugby, although Southam still tried to spread the ball with some success, but the kicking game really secured the win.

Captain Will Grindal appearing at scrum half kicked perfectly in the wet conditions
starting 5minutes in, with a kick down to the 5m line from a penalty on the halfway. From the lineout. Southam drove and were held up and secured a penalty from the resulting scrum, wing forward Pete Burnell, took a quick one, was held up, but after three recycles on the line, Grindal got over and then converted his own try. Southam made several probes into the OY's 22, but the greasy ball and some resolute defence kept Southam from scoring. On the half hour Grindal, put another penalty on the halfway, down to the 5m. Southam drove from the lineout, were held up, but a neat reverse pass from Grindal at the ruck base, put prop Matt Catterall through for the try, converted by Grindal. As the half closed OY's used their big forwards to get down to the Southam 5m, from a scrum they wheeled and then stood up and the young referee amazingly awarded a penalty try for the first penalty in the red zone.
HT 7 - 14

Southam started the brighter and continuous penalties got them down to the OY's line, hooker Sam Deeming got the try with a neat dummy and step over the line, converted by Grindal. Southam continued to press, but greasy ball and handling errors meant they had to wait another 10 minutes for centre John Lowden to take a fast recycle on the burst and step through from 10m out, for the bonus point try, converted by Grindal. The game then started to become fractious as the penalties and the handling errors mounted and although Southam got down into the OY's 22 several times, they could not increase the points total.

It was a day for the forwards and Southam got the job done with a bonus point win.

MOTM Will Grindal