1st XV
Matches
Sat 07 May 2011
Darlington
17
18
SHEFFIELD RUFC - 1902
1st XV
Tries: T MarplesConversions: D CollinsPenalties: D Collins (2)
Sheffield Promoted to North One East

Sheffield Promoted to North One East

Roger Keegan10 May 2011 - 15:18
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Sheffield wina tight contest with Darlington to secure promotion to North 1 East.

Darlington 17 - 18 Sheffield

Team Selection - 7th May 2011

15. Nick Cook
14. James Montgomery
13. Joe Cribley
12. Ryan Amos
11. Alex Hill
10. Donal Collins
9. Matt Poste

1. Tommy Marples
2. Carl Mortimer
3. Chris Machen
4. John Dudley
5. Tom White
6. Dave Ellis
7. Martin Balshaw
8. Andy Kelly ……..… (Capt)

16. Nick Tomsett
17. Laurence Thomas
18. Ewan Reed
19. Tom Womack

Following last weeks winning encounter with Castleford and a hard fought season, Sheffield found themselves perched in the runners up spot in Yorkshire 1 and with the prospect of a play-off match away to Darlington RFC, Darlington being the runners up in Northumberland and Durham 1. Sheffield were well aware of what could be expected from a powerful Darlington side and prepared accordingly, as best one can, for the catch and driving maul game that Darlington’s success has been based.

Sheffield had had to field a weakened team for last week’s match at Castleford, but for the trip to Darlington nearly everyone was available and all were keen to be involved. Nick Tomsett, Laurence Thomas and Ewan Reed all dropped to the bench and they were supplemented with Tom Womack, there being 4 replacements allowed in the play-off.

Sheffield were quickest out of the blocks and were rewarded with a penalty kick after Dave Ellis had been unceremoniously dumped upside down by the Darlington pack after just 2 minutes. Donal Collins struck the kick well from 40 metres out and Sheffield took a 3 point to nil lead. Sheffield continued to dominate and several scoring opportunities were created, but none taken and some frustration began to show, leading to a few too many penalties which gave Darlington the chance to play their natural game, kicking into the corners, winning the lineout and driving for the line. And so it was after 35 minutes of the match, the Darlington fly half, Nick Baldwin, back on after a sin binning for deliberately interfering in an off-side position, kicked tight to the Sheffield 5-metre line, Darlington secured the ball and began their drive, result 5 points. Baldwin could not add the conversion and Darlington led at the break by 5 points to 3, with both fly halves having spurned a couple of penalty chances.

Sheffield came out in the second half full of determination and after some excellent forward work Sheffield were encamped on the Darlington 5-metre line. Matt Poste picked from the ruck gave two outrageous dummies and found Darlington defence totally missing for him to score right next to the posts. Donal Collins made the conversion and with just 6 minutes of the half gone, Sheffield had regained the lead at 5 points to 10.

Darlington were however, not in the least phased by this and immediately got back into the match with Sheffield giving two quick penalties for fly half Baldwin to pin Sheffield on their own line again. The referee then deemed that Sheffield had pulled the maul down and Big John Dudley found himself on his way to the sin bin for a 10 minute rest. Repeat as before, kick for touch again, win lineout, driving maul, try. On this occasion Baldwin was able to add the conversion and Darlington were back in to the lead at 12 points to 10. Darlington continued to pile on the pressure with maul after maul, but Sheffield defended them well until we got to 17 minutes, another penalty allowed Darlington to kick into the corner again and after a short arm wrestle they were in again for a score. Baldwin could not add the conversion and now led by 17 points to 10.

Darlington continued to attack through the pack and the driving maul, but Sheffield defended stoutly and once again began to assert themselves, and with 26 minutes of the half gone were awarded a penalty on the Darlington 22 and Donal Collins made no mistake and the lead was reduced to 17 points to 13. Sheffield were now running the ball whenever they could and again a couple of scoring opportunities were missed with Darlington’s defence getting pulled away to one side of the pitch, but the chances were not taken and the score remained unchanged.

Donal Collins was now putting boot firmly to the ball, kicking out of hand deep into Darlington territory and forcing them to kick back to us as Darlington’s big pack began to tire. With 35 minutes of the half gone and from one such kick, Sheffield secured the ball and mounted an attack down the right, virtually al of the Darlington defence followed and as the ball came back left, it was obvious that there was a massive gap, but where were Sheffield’s back division, over on the right. The ball passed sweetly through the hand however, before meeting Carl Mortimer in front of the posts with a single defender in attendance. The ball went smartly to prop Tommy (Fats) Marples who was never going to pass or be denied a score, very Chris Ashton like. Donal failed with the conversion and we were all in for a very nervous 5 minutes or so. Five minutes that seemed like an eternity, the more so when with barley two minutes to go Darlington were awarded a penalty some 30 metres out and slightly to the right of the posts. Would they take the kick or revert to touch and the driving maul? The kick was the answer, but again Baldwin missed the kick.

The 22 restart was hammered deep into the Darlington half and the chase was on. Darlington, now desperate tried to run out of defence, but Sheffield kept them well bottled up in their own half. The Sheffield pack secured a turnover and scrum half Matt Poste wasted no time in putting the ball into touch. The referee decided it was time and Sheffield had won a mighty victory and of course, promotion to North 1 East. Congratulations to all the players and coaching team.

North One East next season should contain the following teams:-

Billingham
Cleckheaton
Durham City
Gateshead
Malton & Norton
Middlesbrough
Morpeth
Northern
Old Brodleians
Old Crossleyans
Percy Park
Sheffield
Team Northumbria
Wheatley Hills

Match details

Match date

Sat 07 May 2011

Kickoff

15:00

Meet time

09:30
Team overview
Further reading

Team Sponsors

Sponsor - Bowring Transport Ltd
Key Sponsor - Cafeology
Key Sponsor - Charles Day Steels
sponsor - Jaguar Estates
Key Sponsor  - Henry Boot
Club Sponsor - Eadon Lockwood & Riddle
Club Sponsor - CFC Financial Services
Main club sponsor - Wilson Field