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Heaton Moor 32 – Trafford MV 31
David Todd20 Feb - 16:29
Phew!
Moor were at home last Saturday to Trafford MV in another bottom-of-the-basement clash, with the Green Lane side third from bottom and their opposition one place below. Although they won quite comfortably in the reverse fixture earlier in the season, Moor were aware that fixtures between the sides have traditionally been close and that nothing but a victory would do for either side. As it turned out, the contest was certainly close, with Moor just managing to pinch a result in the dying seconds of the game.
The visitors kicked off and Moor were immediately under pressure as a loose pass was intercepted by TMV, allowing them to kick ahead and then force a Moor player into conceding a lineout ten metres from his line. On winning the lineout, TMV then set up a rolling maul, ending with a converted try, to set up a lead that they never relinquished until the last play of the game. For the rest of the half, Moor held the edge in both position and possession, but good defensive work by TMV prevented the former from scoring as often as they should have done. A ten minute period before the hosts opened their account exemplified this pressure as they forced their opponents into conceding no less than five penalties, but Moor could not capitalise on this as subsequent drives were either held up on the line or lineouts were lost following a kick to touch. It also became apparent that the visitors had a game plan of kicking deep whenever they had the ball and then setting up a platform when in Moor’s territory; a plan that they executed terribly well, meaning that Moor quite often had to restart their attacks some sixty to seventy metres from their opponent’s line. Eventually, following the sixth penalty given away by TMV, Moor kicked to touch some ten metres out and then set up a drive that culminated in an unconverted try by hooker Danny Ireland. Moor went further behind midway through the half after they lost yet another lineout, allowing TMV to set up an attack and although this broke down some five metres short, they disrupted the subsequent scrum to Moor, causing the latter to attempt to clear their lines under pressure and in so doing, TMV managed to poach the ball and score an unconverted try. Back came Moor and forced the opposition into conceding yet another penalty in front of their posts, giving the home side an easy three points from a penalty goal; one which was to prove crucial in the eventual outcome of the game. Moor continued to have the edge but for no reward and were left to rue this when, on TMV's only third real deep incursion into the host’s 22, they forced a drop-out, which, for some inexplicable reason, Moor elected to take quickly, resulting in the kick dropping short, straight into the arms of an attacker, who then proceeded to run in and touch down in the corner; the conversion just failing. From the restart, it was the visitors turn to put in a misguided kick ahead, which was fielded by Moor and passed straight out to right-winger Sam Firth, who evaded all attempted tackles as he ran some seventy metres to score an unconverted try. Deep into injury time at the interval, Moor gave away a free kick for delaying the put-in at a lineout, setting up an attack by TMV and forcing Moor into conceding a penalty. A quickly taken tap by the opposition ended with a converted try in the corner, earning them a try bonus-point, and a healthy 24-13 lead at the break.
The second half was more even in terms of territory occupied by both sides, but ironically, it was Moor who ended up benefiting most. The first ten minutes were somewhat scrappy, with neither side having the edge and during this period both sides had a player sin-binned; both at the same time for a minor altercation. On the quarter-hour mark, Moor reduced the deficit with a converted try from a lineout ten metres inside the TMV 22, scored by back-row Archie Ward. This was created after Ward, now playing at hooker, threw to the front of the line and took a return pass to catch the defence off-guard and he jinked his way up the blindside and then cut back infield to score next to the uprights. Play was then mainly confined to mid-field for the next fifteen minutes, with neither side achieving the upper hand and during this period, skipper Jack Pipe had to leave the field with an elbow injury, resulting in a re-jig of the Moor pack. Soon afterwards, Moor conceded a penalty for, surprisingly, only the second time in the game, which was kicked to touch deep in their half. Winning the lineout, TMV then proceeded to set up numerous rucks and drives, eventually crossing the whitewash for a try, which they converted. With less than five minutes of normal time remaining, the home side now found themselves having to score at least twice to claim a victory, which given the way the game had panned out since the break, didn't seem very likely. Nevertheless, Moor seemed to redouble their efforts and kept the game inside the TMV half, gaining two lineouts in quick succession and from the second of these, they set up a rolling maul, forcing TMV to conceded yet another penalty and have a player yellow-carded. Unsurprisingly, with a man-advantage, Moor chose to take a scrum and promptly set about pushing their opponent’s pack back towards the try line and inevitably, it resulted in the scrum collapsing and with the referee adjudging it to have been done illegally, he awarded Moor a penalty try. Their tails now up, Moor went seeking a final try and this eventually came some four minutes into injury time when the ball reached left-winger Ed Kowalewski who ran in to score an unconverted try and bring the game to a close with the narrowest of victories for Moor and the cruellest of defeats for TMV. The latter did, however, have some consolation in taking two bonus points away with them.
Moor have no game this coming weekend, but renew their league programme away at Broughton Park on 1st March, k.o. 3:00 p.m.
The visitors kicked off and Moor were immediately under pressure as a loose pass was intercepted by TMV, allowing them to kick ahead and then force a Moor player into conceding a lineout ten metres from his line. On winning the lineout, TMV then set up a rolling maul, ending with a converted try, to set up a lead that they never relinquished until the last play of the game. For the rest of the half, Moor held the edge in both position and possession, but good defensive work by TMV prevented the former from scoring as often as they should have done. A ten minute period before the hosts opened their account exemplified this pressure as they forced their opponents into conceding no less than five penalties, but Moor could not capitalise on this as subsequent drives were either held up on the line or lineouts were lost following a kick to touch. It also became apparent that the visitors had a game plan of kicking deep whenever they had the ball and then setting up a platform when in Moor’s territory; a plan that they executed terribly well, meaning that Moor quite often had to restart their attacks some sixty to seventy metres from their opponent’s line. Eventually, following the sixth penalty given away by TMV, Moor kicked to touch some ten metres out and then set up a drive that culminated in an unconverted try by hooker Danny Ireland. Moor went further behind midway through the half after they lost yet another lineout, allowing TMV to set up an attack and although this broke down some five metres short, they disrupted the subsequent scrum to Moor, causing the latter to attempt to clear their lines under pressure and in so doing, TMV managed to poach the ball and score an unconverted try. Back came Moor and forced the opposition into conceding yet another penalty in front of their posts, giving the home side an easy three points from a penalty goal; one which was to prove crucial in the eventual outcome of the game. Moor continued to have the edge but for no reward and were left to rue this when, on TMV's only third real deep incursion into the host’s 22, they forced a drop-out, which, for some inexplicable reason, Moor elected to take quickly, resulting in the kick dropping short, straight into the arms of an attacker, who then proceeded to run in and touch down in the corner; the conversion just failing. From the restart, it was the visitors turn to put in a misguided kick ahead, which was fielded by Moor and passed straight out to right-winger Sam Firth, who evaded all attempted tackles as he ran some seventy metres to score an unconverted try. Deep into injury time at the interval, Moor gave away a free kick for delaying the put-in at a lineout, setting up an attack by TMV and forcing Moor into conceding a penalty. A quickly taken tap by the opposition ended with a converted try in the corner, earning them a try bonus-point, and a healthy 24-13 lead at the break.
The second half was more even in terms of territory occupied by both sides, but ironically, it was Moor who ended up benefiting most. The first ten minutes were somewhat scrappy, with neither side having the edge and during this period both sides had a player sin-binned; both at the same time for a minor altercation. On the quarter-hour mark, Moor reduced the deficit with a converted try from a lineout ten metres inside the TMV 22, scored by back-row Archie Ward. This was created after Ward, now playing at hooker, threw to the front of the line and took a return pass to catch the defence off-guard and he jinked his way up the blindside and then cut back infield to score next to the uprights. Play was then mainly confined to mid-field for the next fifteen minutes, with neither side achieving the upper hand and during this period, skipper Jack Pipe had to leave the field with an elbow injury, resulting in a re-jig of the Moor pack. Soon afterwards, Moor conceded a penalty for, surprisingly, only the second time in the game, which was kicked to touch deep in their half. Winning the lineout, TMV then proceeded to set up numerous rucks and drives, eventually crossing the whitewash for a try, which they converted. With less than five minutes of normal time remaining, the home side now found themselves having to score at least twice to claim a victory, which given the way the game had panned out since the break, didn't seem very likely. Nevertheless, Moor seemed to redouble their efforts and kept the game inside the TMV half, gaining two lineouts in quick succession and from the second of these, they set up a rolling maul, forcing TMV to conceded yet another penalty and have a player yellow-carded. Unsurprisingly, with a man-advantage, Moor chose to take a scrum and promptly set about pushing their opponent’s pack back towards the try line and inevitably, it resulted in the scrum collapsing and with the referee adjudging it to have been done illegally, he awarded Moor a penalty try. Their tails now up, Moor went seeking a final try and this eventually came some four minutes into injury time when the ball reached left-winger Ed Kowalewski who ran in to score an unconverted try and bring the game to a close with the narrowest of victories for Moor and the cruellest of defeats for TMV. The latter did, however, have some consolation in taking two bonus points away with them.
Moor have no game this coming weekend, but renew their league programme away at Broughton Park on 1st March, k.o. 3:00 p.m.
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