Cavs end the season in style

For the third time this season, the Cavs were denied a home game when our scheduled opponents forfeited the league fixture on Friday morning. Not wanting to end the season in this manner, a day of phone calls eventually resulted in the Cavs securing an away fixture at Huddersfield.

This is the third time we’ve played Huddersfield this season and each time their line-up has had a very different look to it. This time their team looked to comprise of a mixture of Colts, Huddersfield Uni students and several lads very much in the latter part of their playing careers – not too dissimilar to the team that the Cavs put out.

The Cavs didn’t start well. The 2nd half of the Cavs season has been built on aggressive defence but, with one or two notable exceptions, that wasn’t on show in the early part of the game. I’m not sure if that was because it was a friendly rather than a league game or maybe the Cavs just had a touch of “end of season itis”.

This lacklustre defence was responsible for Huddersfield’s 1st try when their hard running centre took the ball at pace and cut through no less than 3 would be tacklers to score. 7-0
Huddersfield continued to have the better of the game before they were intercepted on halfway by full back Ian Leigh Webber who raced away to score (no snipers this week – well, not yet anyway!) 7-7

Huddersfield continued to make the Cavs struggle. Unusually for this season, the Cavs were facing an opposition who were trying to throw the ball around and play at pace and the Cavs were making hard work of defending it.

Huddersfield moved the ball from side to side and only desperate cover defence by 2nd row James Jarratt prevented them from scoring in the corner. However, the ref (correctly) ruled that the contact was high and so awarded a penalty try and, as the laws dictate, showed JJ a yellow card. 14-7

Morley levelled the scores when a Huddersfield kick to touch only found full back Welsh Ian in space. He interchanged passes with Dec to cut through the Huddersfield defence before delivering the final pass for Dec to score under the posts. 14-14.

On the stroke of Half time Huddersfield scored an excellent multiphase team try to take a deserved 21-14 lead into half time.

The Cavs hadn’t been awful in the first half, just a fraction off the pace which was illustrated by some very poor defence, dodgy passing and too many dropped balls. However, the basics were there. The scrum was solid, Matt & JJ had the line out sorted and we did look dangerous in attack when we weren’t making errors.

So the half time chat was basically just a few stern words; sort the defensive structure out, keep the ball in hand instead of kicking it away and sharpen up on what we’re doing with the ball. Flanker Kieran Holliday, new to the area, was brought on for his Morley debut and he looks like he’ll be an excellent addition to the Morley squad.

The stern words seemed to do the trick as the Cavs were much improved at the start of the 2nd half. However, they still couldn’t turn the pressure into points as on two occasions the final pass was dropped with try line beckoning. But, to their credit, the Cavs didn’t let their heads drop and good hands from one side of the field to the other eventually resulted in emergency winger, Adam Macmaster (usually a scrum half), scoring in the corner. 21-19, conversion missed.

The Cavs were straight back on the case. This time good hands released our other emergency winger, the returning ex Morley Junior Rhys Thompson, who showed blistering pace to race past his opposite number. It looked like he would score in the corner but he then proceeded to throw an outrageous side step in the in-goal area to take it around the full back and score underneath the posts.

On the touchline we were too busy discussing where Rhys’ blistering pace had come from and the merits of his side step to remember to take the kicking tee on, so Frankie dropped kicked the conversion instead. 21-26.

Morley continued to apply the pressure and when they were awarded a penalty in front of the posts Frankie took the opportunity to take the lead out to 2 scores. 21-29.

Our Welsh full back Ian was having a mixed day. He’d scored one try, made another but also dropped the ball on 2 or 3 occasions. However, he had at least managed to stay on his feet this week (for a change)!

Morley were on the attack again, the ball went wide to Ian. He progressed the ball up the field and just had the full back to beat. Surely even he wouldn’t risk yet more ridicule by trying to kick through and regather?

Oh yes he would! For the third game in a row Ian kicked through with a lovely weighted kick. He rounded the full back and all he needed to do now was regather the ball and score. Surely the rugby gods would show some benevolence on the unfortunate one?
Alas no, just as he bent down to pick the ball up it took a wicked bounce and in his desperation to regather he once again face planted the turf – that’s 3 matches in succession for those of you who’ve not been following the tale!

The look of bemusement on the Huddersfield player’s faces was priceless as they turned around to see the entire Morley team laughing their heads off – not the usual reaction to a bombed try. To his eternal credit, Ian was also laughing which just goes to show that the Cavs were laughing with Ian and not at him!

The Cavs continued to build pressure and when Morley were awarded a penalty, Will Howarth took it quickly and strolled in unopposed to score just to the right of the sticks. 21-34

It’s almost certain that today was Cheese’s (Dan Ripley) last game for the Cavs – never say never Cheese! So he was given the honour of taking the conversion. In fairness, he made a decent fist of it but the ball hit the post square on and the kick was missed.

The clock was edging down but there was still time for another Morley score. The ball was bobbling around on the floor around half way. Scrum half Adam Summers was first to react and showed a ridiculous level of skill to scoop up the ball with one hand and direct it perfectly into the path of on rushing centre Will Howarth who was moving at full pace. Will took the ball cleanly and, not surprisingly, glided through unopposed to score underneath the sticks.

This time it was Glover who took the conversion and he showed his mate how to do it.

21-41 Final score.

The Cavs finished the season in style, winning the 2nd half 27-0.

Huddersfield voted captain Dec as M.O.M. and they were right to do so. He was excellent throughout and in truth has been all season (but don’t tell him that)!

Not surprisingly the Cavs voted for Ian as D.O.T.D and let’s just say he took this award to a whole new level in the after match boat race when the Huddersfield captain insisted that it was done with your pants down. Comedy gold!

So that’s the Cav’s season finished. The standard of the league has been much higher than the previous two seasons that coach Peter and I have been involved with. Other clubs still have a league game to play but at the end of the season the league table will return to a merit table (i.e. number of points per game played) and Morley will finish third behind Cleckheaton and Doncaster Phoenix. Both of whom have 1st teams in the league above our own 1st team.

A very creditable effort for undoubtedly the youngest and lightest side in the league. What they lack in weight and experience is more than made up for by effort, ability and heart. And the older lads have played a massive part in keeping it all together whilst the younger ones find their feet at this level

It’s been a very enjoyable season and one that everyone who has been involved in it can be justifiably proud of.

Well done boys!

UTC.
David Gilman

Editor's note:-

The club is lucky to have two such talented and dedicated people as Peter Barclay-Quelch and Dave Gilman who shun the bright lights and glamour of 1st team rugby to help develop the youngsters from the junior section as they take the difficult first step from Colts to adult rugby. They rarely have a settled team as they have to cope with their own injuries and unavailablities as well as regularly supplying the first team with players. Well done to both of you and thanks from all at the club. Roll on 2024-25!!!