1st XV lose to Matlock

Loughborough 3-19 Matlock

Early mistakes prove to be decisive in home defeat for Loughborough.

Loughborough kicked off proceedings and immediately piled the pressure on the Matlock catcher and the resulting breakdown. Sloppy ball forced the Matlock scrumhalf to kick directly into touch from just outside the 22m.
The throw from Jez Thewlis found the rising Jamie Grice and Loughborough set up a powerful maul which drove deep into the Matlock 22m. Eventually Matlock had no choice but to try and bring down the maul illegally. Thomas Kirkby stepped up to slot over the first points of the match. Loughborough 3-0 Matlock.

From the restart Loughborough gathered the ball cleanly through Owen Thomas. Loughborough tried to set a number of rucks to clear their lines, but the Matlock backrow were quicker to the tackle and turned over the ball. The Loughborough line was forced to hold firm with wave after wave of Matlock attack. Tackling from Adam Lee and Cameron Woods out wide stopping the attack. The defensive effort paid off after Matlock were judged to have blocked the tackle accidently, so scrum to Loughborough. Another penalty from the scrum meant loughborough could clear their lines.
Matlock enjoyed the majority of possession over the next 10 minutes, each time their attack falling short thanks to the defensive effort from the Loughborough line. Big hits across the park from the backrow of Gary Bottomley, Keiran Hewgill and Scott Pears knocking the carriers backwards.
Loughborough did manage to power into the Matlock half through good hands from Lorenzo Tinari and James Busby. It was from a scrum 5 meters out that Loughborough felt they had their best chance to turn the game in their favour. A number of scrum penalties won by the front row of Stephen Duffus, Jez Thewlis and Lee Gunton. A huge scrummaging effort had the Matlock pack backpedaling, until the referee gave a penalty for the Loughborough front row popping up first.
Not long after this, Matlock got the only clean ball from a scrum all game, the ball was moved quickly into the hands of the Matlock 15 who ghosted through to score the first try of the game. Try converted Loughborough 3-7 Matlock

Matlock continued to put together strong phases to batter the Loughborough line, but each time the Loughborough defense stayed together to force an error each time. Rohan Makepeace making tackles above his bodyweight and Jacob Abraham being the last line of defence each time. After more attacks from Matlock and a couple of refereeing decisions which Loughborough feel were a little harsh, the Matlock center crashed over from short range to score the second try of the game. Try uncoverted Loughborough 3-12 Matlock.

Loughborough came back fighting, spending the remaining 10 minutes of the second half in the Matlock 22m. Unfortunately each promising attack coming to an end because of a dropped pass or poor ruck. Loughborough did get the opportunity to finish the half as it began with a penalty outside the 22m, unfortunately the kick drifted just wide. Loughborough very nearly regained the ball after the Matlock catcher decided to try and run it out of his own dead ball area. The ball was eventually kicked out and the first half brought to a close.
Halftime Loughborough 3-12 Matlock

From the restart Loughborough gathered it cleanly and set off to grow back into the game. Just when Loughborough thought a clearance kick was coming, Lorenzo Tinari opted for a sort of weird banana kick pass to Rohan Makepeace on the wing. Luckily Rohan dealt with the pressure brilliantly and cleared the ball back outside the Loughborough 22m. Matlock came back at Loughborough with fierce, quick carries close to the breakdown. After having one try held up over the line, Matlock recycled the ball well from the scrum and scored out wide on the left hand side. Try converted Loughborough 3-19 Matlock.

No more points were scored by either team for the rest of the match. Loughborough did improve greatly on their first half performance. Credit deserves to go to the Loughborough pack, who after Owen Thomas was yellow carded for an alleged high tackle, pushed the Matlock pack around whilst being a large man down in the second row.

As the final whistle blew, Loughborough were disappointed with the scoreline but knew Matlock deserved the win. Captain Jamie Grice said,’We gave ourselves too much to do in the second half. We need to be more clinical against the better teams in this league’

Loughborough look to bounce back next weekend in the cup away to Old Coventrians, then back to league action the following week away at Melbourne.