Sheffield RUFC 20 - 13 Horden RFC

Sheffield RUFC 20 - 13 Horden RFC

Starting Line Up - 10th January 2015

15. Andy Hodgson
14. Ali Womack
13. Gareth Morley
12. Leigh Sanders
11. Joe McHale
10. Jimmy Pearson (Capt)
9. Ben Parker

1. Dan Rylance
2. Sam Whitworth
3. Tony Stringwell
4. Ryan Seabright
5. Ben Whitney
6. Dave Bradford
7. Alex Fawdry
8. Jonny France

Replacements
16. Tommy Marples
17. Dom Parsons
18. Rupert Broadley

Following the loss to a very good Ilkley team last week we saw the return of Jonny France at number 8, with Alex Fawdry moving to the blindside flanker and Matt Adcock dropping to the 2nd XV away to Cleckheaton. Joe Cribley was unavailable and was replaced by the returning Rupert Broadley.

Sheffield made a lively start, but there nervousness was soon evident and after penalty at a scrum Horden took the initiative and sent their left wing off on what looked like certain try just 4 minutes in to the match. However, Sheffield managed to get back and prevent the score. The just 2 minutes later a feature of last week’s game crept in the play. A poor pass bobbled along the ground, a Sheffield player decided to fly hack the ball instead of diving on it, the ball fell to Horden’s left wing, Craig Jones, and on this occasion the defence was completely at sea and he scored right by the posts. Full back Ross Brymer added the conversion and Sheffield found themselves adrift by 7 points to nil,

Sheffield did not panic and were on the attack straight from the restart, forcing a lineout from which the attack was continued with Jonny France forcing his way over the Horden line wide out on the right. Leigh sanders conversion attempt was unfortunately wide of the mark, but he arrears had been reduced to 5 points to 7. Sheffield’s nervous state was immediately evident when they gave a penalty away right in front of the posts allowing Ross Brymer to extend Horden’s lead once again to 5 points to 10. The battle raged with both sides being penalised far too often by the referee, and with 20 minutes gone, tight head prop Tony Stringwell found himself off to the sin bin for an apparent offence at the scrum leaving Sheffield a man short up front and facing another scrum when Horden elected for the scum as opposed to the attempt at goal. Tommy Marples came on for Tony and after a couple of resets Sheffield were awarded a penalty at the scrum. Ben Parker put Sheffield up to half way and after several drives from the forwards, Jimmy Pearson kicked the m up into Horden’s 22. Sheffield stole Horden’s ball and again after a number of drives from the forwards, scrum half Ben Parker found space around the blindside and scurried past the Horden defence to score out on the right. Leigh Sanders kicked a magnificent conversion and Sheffield had sneaked into the lead after 26 minutes at 12 points to 10. The half was brought to an end with Leigh Sanders and Sheffield adding a penalty to move the half time score to Sheffield 15, Horden 10.

The second half saw Sheffield still in a nervous state and Horden were duly rewarded with another penalty. On this occasion they decided on taking the points and Ross Brymer obliged to reduce Sheffield’s lead to 15 points to 13 after 6 minutes. Sheffield did move up a gear, but could still not break through the Horden defence until the 58th minute, when Sheffield turned down a penalty kick at goal and ran the ball for Jimmy Pearson to score out on the left. Leigh Sanders could not add the conversion, but the lead was out to 7 points at 20 points to 13, which is how it remained for the remainder of the game. Sheffield should have added to their score and try tally, but did not, even when Horden were reduced to 14 men for the last 7 minutes.

Scoring:-

League Table