‘AWESOME WINLATON FLICK THE POWER SWITCH AND STUN SEDGEFIELD’

It was all change again for Coach Rolly WILLS who must look forward to one-day when he might be able to select an unchanged winning team but that is not in the Vulcans script. In the forwards another new front row combination of Jon LEE, William GRICE and Dean JEFFERSON and Steven KANE slotting in the second row. Mr Versatile and last week’s MOM Darren CORNWALL is moved from number 8 to cover a centre berth with Mickey FERGUSON filling his place in the pack.

The three quarters see Rob ASQUITH moving from centre to number 10 partnered by Steve LEE at 9 covering for Dan JOSEBURY who is unavailable and the last change welcoming back Harry MASON on the wing after injury.

On cold Autumnal Day on a dry pitch a strong wind was blowing cross field giving the advantage to the hosts who kicked off and when the ball was fielded by the Vulcans in their 22 they immediately showed their intent by running the ball out of their own half and offloading when tackled.
On 2MINS this move was halted when Sedgefield infringed at the breakdown on the halfway line in the middle of the park so PYLE stepped up to convert a great kick against the elements(3PTS).

From the restart Winlaton conceded a penalty giving the opportunity to the home side to kick into the Vulcans 10 metre area for an attacking line out which was driven over the line but held up but halted illegally again by the Vulcans. However strangely Sedgefield opted for a tap and go and tried to move along the line but stout defence snuffed out the challenge and the danger was cleared.

After this for the rest of the first half Winlaton displayed controlled aggression and savagery in the tackle and marauding intent in attack and as a result Sedgefield could not cope with their physicality and organisation in those departments and they continuously infringed giving Winlaton a platform to launch a series of attacks.

On 8MINS on the half way line good off the top lineout ball was won by KANE and LEE quickly moved the ball along the line to SEED who powered his way through the home defence and when halted fullback PYLE joining the line at pace finished off a great team try (5PTS) + (2PTS) PYLE converting his own try.

From the restart when the ball was fielded the ball was passed through several hands and when it reached ASQUITH he scythed through the Sedgefield defence and ran some 40 metres to score what would have a remarkable try but unfortunately the last pass failed.

The attacks on the home sides defence by Winlaton was incessant but rather than letting the ball do the work wrong options prevented from further scores.

On 15MINS Winlaton had a scrum 10 metres out of the Sedgefield line and a strong drive took them over the line but the ball was lost and Sedgefield managed to clear their lines.

However, on 20MINS the pressure finally told when after another penalty kick into the home sides 22 was won by LOWES the forwards took the ball on and then the ball was recycled quickly and when it reached SEED he used his strength to power over the line (5PTS) + (2PTS) the conversion kicked by PYLE.

With Sedgefield’s only ploy to clear their lines was to kick long they gave Winlaton the chance to run the ball back and after a bout of continuous paly with forwards and backs involved PYLE using his size and physicality took the ball and fended off a number of tacklers to crash over for another team try (5PTS) the kick being missed.

Shortly after this on 25MINS the referee’s patience eventually snapped and he sin-binned a Sedgefield player for yet another infringement at the breakdown. Strangely this had had an adverse effect for Winlaton who even with the numerical advantage they momentarily lost focus and after trying to run the ball they conceded a penalty and after a lapse in their defence coordination it allowed Sedgefield to score in the corner (5PTS) on 33MINS the conversion being missed.

The remainder of the half was much of the same with Winlaton continuously on the attack but being unable to add further to their score.

HALF TIME 5PTS – 22PTS

Winlaton made the best of starts and launched a series of attacks which threatened to overwhelm the opposition. After the restart Sedgefield conceded yet another penalty and PYLE on 43MINS kicked a perfect wind assisted into the hosts 10 metre area for an attacking lineout. The ball was secured by KANE who had been prominent in the lineout all afternoon and he driven over by the rest of the pack to score (5PTS) the conversion being missed.

From the restart kick on 45MINS FERGUSON secured the ball and after a bout of handling between the forwards with LOWES and JEFFERSON involved the ball was given to PYLE who took barged his way over after shrugging off the cover defence to score another try which he converted (5PTS) + (2PTS).

The barrage of attacks continued and on 51MINS a scrum on the Sedgefield 22 saw LEE feeding CORNWALL, who had been involved in everything all afternoon,he broke down the blindside and drew the cover defence and then offloaded to substitute PALLISTER for a clear run to the line the conversion being missed (5PTS).

Although Winlaton had played some superb rugby for much of the afternoon they were bedevilled by the occasional lapse and perhaps infected by their own ambition and skill, they lost temporally momentum on 55MINS allowing the Sedgefield backline to run through the Vulcans defence to score an unconverted try(5PTS).

But within six minutes on 61MINS Sedgefield had been put back in their box when the Vulcans regained their composure. They won a scrum on their own half on the 22 metre line, LEE fed PYLE who offloaded to CORNWALL who made yardage and on the half way line quickly passed to JENKINS who showed pace and guile to beat a number of defenders to dive over in the corner for a remarkable try(5PTS) + (2PTS) PYLE converting a fantastic kick from the touchline.

The game continued with the Vulcans sustaining their intensity and after another series of sweeping attacks with LEE, TAYLOR and KANE heavily involved when the move broke down in the opposing 22 FERGUSON was on hand to break though the final cover to score yet another team try (5PTS) + (2PTS) PYLE kicking the conversion on 76MINS.

To their credit Sedgefield never gave up and mounted a series of spirited counter-attacks in the dying minutes of the game and it was Custer’s Last Stand for the Vulcans thereafter with a succession of scrums in their 10 metre zone they continuously conceded penalty after penalty.

But to complete a fantastic team performance the Winlaton defence kept working to foil the host’s courageous but vain attempts to register a consolation score.

FINAL SCORE 10PTS -53PTS

MAN OF THE MATCH Robert PYLE ( 25 points scored !!!)