Five Ways continue their winning ways

With both teams recording a win in the previous week’s fixtures Five ways knew this would be a tough test but were focused on trying to maintain a good record at home this season.

Yardley started strongly in the scrums winning decent field position and using the size of their pack to push the more athletic five ways around.

However, after some strong defence Ways forced an error in the Yardley backs and some good scrambling led to a break by JP which was followed up with a great run from Scrum Half Tom Fletcher who unselfishly passed to Welsh flyer Tom Griffiths to score under the posts, Griffiths then stepped up and added the extras with the boot.

From the restart Ways looked to move the larger opponents around the park and tire them out. John Mounter with some good tactical kicks to the corner to keep the play firmly in the Yardley half.

It wasn’t long before Ways were over again after a sustained period of pressure and a few penalties. Nell Davies, caught the Yardley defensive line napping and span and crashed his way over for a score. Griffiths this time pushing his conversion effort somewhere near Hopwood services.

The rest of the half played out much the same with Five ways in control and in the Yardley Half.

Yardley were lucky with 10 minutes left of the half to keep 15 players on the pitch after Fly Half John Mounter was spear tackled into the ground. The referee gave the Yardley player the benefit of the doubt on this occasion.

This only spurred Five Ways on and after a Kick to the corner by an unnamed 2nd rower who lazily found himself in the centre for a moment (What a Kick, may I add). Ways began to squeeze again and with another rush of blood to his head Craig Davies found himself at scrum half and dummied his way over to score under the Posts. Griffiths this time managed to reach the posts with his kick to claim his 2nd conversion.

19-0 at Half Time

Ways needed one more score for the bonus point and after a few changes at half time maybe their focus was dented as Yardley started the 2nd half stronger carrying well and putting five ways under pressure. This pressure told and Yardley put two quick scores on converting one to make the score 19-12. How a game can change very quickly? Maybe the five ways of two years ago would have cracked under this pressure?

Not this team and with some strong tackling and stronger runs from the likes of James Mounter, Jay Wilkes & Joe Brook, Five ways played themselves back into control.

John Mounter showed great brain speed to tap and go from a penalty which was fully 30 meters out he went on his own it was like slow motion he beat one then another then it was a foot race………. the slowest foot race known to man but he made it to dive over for the score which pushed ways back into control.

To make matters worse for Yardley their winger jumped in after the score with dangerous play in full view of the referee and he was sent off, this after the scrum half had been sin binned only moments earlier.

Griffiths went close with the conversion but fell just short.

Five ways duly made the extra men count and, after a great kick into the corner and a brilliant chase by Sam Bosley who couldn’t quite make it over the whitewash, the loose ball was picked up by Jess Banner who dived over to put the game out of reach for Yardley. Griffiths stepped up and knocked over the conversion to put the game out of reach with ways leading 31-12.

There was time for Yardley to grab another score which is credit to them for the way they battled the whole game.

Man of the match couldn’t be split this week and went to Nell Davies & John Mounter the Welshmen lead from the front the whole game.

Special mention to Jess banner who ruined the Monopoly on Welsh scorers for the afternoon and captained the team well in Ian Chaston's absence.

2 out of 2 for the season so far and both bonus point wins five ways can be very happy with the start to the season.

Final Score FWOE 31 – 17 Yardley & District