First win shows signs of improvement

Matlock welcomed newly promoted Long Eaton to a sunny Cromford Meadows with both sides looking for their first win of the new campaign. With Chris Atkinson likely to be out for the season with a shoulder injury and Curtis Bolam still recovering from a broken thumb the squad saw a few changes from the previous game. Ash Statham made a welcome return to the front row replacing the unavailable Tom Stokes. Tom Cruttenden, Tom Morton and Luke Howard all returned from the injury list and Charlie Jackson started at hooker. Conor Loughnane, Henry Morton and Mike Allen made up a strong bench.
Long Eaton kicked off and Matlock sent an early message of intent gathering the ball and making some strong carries to the opposition. From a ruck just outside the Matlock twenty two Matlock went blind and created an overlap with Hooton sending Whittaker free up the wing. Whittaker was strong in the tackle and Matlock’s close support play saw them take the play close to the opposition’s try line. With their defence creaking from the pace and power of the attack Long Eaton transgressed twice in the red zone. Matlock continued the pressure and when the visitor’s transgressed again and the referee playing the advantage Matlock quickly spun the ball out wide with a miss pass to give Luke Howard a simple run in. Tom Morton converted brilliantly from out wide 7-0. Long Eaton responded well and with a primarily young and pacey back line they looked threatening with ball in hand. That said Matlock’s solid defence dealt admirably with the threat and eventually a great turnover by Tom Cruttenden at the breakdown relieved the pressure. Matlock then created two more opportunities one following a break by the powerhouse that is Tom Cruttenden who shrugged off several would be tacklers to break out finding Dan Hooton in support, but the attack eventually broke down. Then George Whittaker made another powerful run up the touchline putting the visitor’s fullback firmly on his backside. Again the attack didn’t bring the just rewards as a lack of patience and poor execution saw the opportunity lost. On twenty minutes Matlock created an overlap and scoring opportunity out wide but the long miss pass was well read and the ball was intercepted for a simple run in under the posts for a converted try making the scores level at 7-7 somewhat against the run of play. This score lifted the visitors who began to come more into the game but Matlock’s defensive line was strong and even when the line was occasionally breeched the scrambled defence was excellent. On the half hour Matlock wrestled back the lead following an excellent passage which took play deep into the visitor’s half and space was created out wide. A poor pass looked to have spoiled the chance but Fairclough’s strong running enabled him to force his way over for a much needed score. Morton again added the extras 14-7. Matlock were now in a period of control and moments later another excellent carry by George Whittaker up the wing before he found Tom Wright in support. Quick ball from the breakdown saw James Young dummy his way through a gap before sending a lobbed pass out to Whittaker to cross in the corner and touch down near the posts. Morton again converted for a half time lead of 21-7.
Half time never comes at a good time when you are on top, and so it proved. For the most part of the second half Long Eaton had the lion’s share of both territory and possession, with Matlock struggling to find the same cohesion and control shown in the first half. This manifested itself with too many errors and the clinical execution required to ensure a good exit from defence was missing. That said, despite spending a large proportion of the second half on the defensive, the defensive shape and effort throughout was excellent. Even when down to fourteen men after Charlie Jackson was given a yellow card for an adjudged high tackle, the visitor’s attacks were continually repelled by the home side’s stoic defence. As the game entered its final moments Matlock mounted one final attack. Matlock won turn over ball on half way and the ball was moved blind sending George Whittaker away on another strong run down the wing. This time he found Simon Wright in support and when he was stopped close to the line, Conor Loughnane was on hand to pick up and drive his way over in the corner for the bonus point try. Morton’s conversion attempt was narrowly wide and the referee blew the final whistle on a hard fought 26-7 win for the home side.
This performance was not perfect but showed definite improvements from the first two games and arguably against the best side faced so far this season.
Team: Wright T, Jackson C, Statham A, Harrod J, Emmerson M, Cruttenden T, Cookman R, Wright S, Morton T, Young J, Howard L, Hooton D, Boyd H, Whittaker G, Fairclough J
Bench: Loughnane C, Allen M, Morton H

Next week Matlock travel to play Loughborough, kick off 3.00pm