Lymm 42 – 29 Preston Grasshoppers
1st Team Match Report | Saturday December 14 2024
Lymm bounce back
Back home at Crouchley Road after the trip over the Pennines to Sheffield last week, the game against northwest neighbours Preston Grasshoppers marked the halfway point in the 2024/25 season for Lymm. After an extraordinary eleven-game unbeaten run came to an end last week, this was the chance for the Lymm squad to bounce back.
Rhys Lilley returned to the team to partner Samir Tahraoui in the second row, with Callum Morris moving from his customary number 9 to full back, and Tom Manaton starting at 9.
Overcast and dry, with little wind, it seemed like a perfect day for the fast, attacking rugby that the crowd at Crouchley Lane have been enjoying all season, but the game became a tussle as the conditions deteriorated.
Lymm kicked off attacking the clubhouse end. Initial kicking for field advantage eventually saw the home team’s tight defence cause Preston to knock on. A solid scrum led to a strong run by Nathan Beesley, a penalty, and a kick to the corner for Lymm’s first line out of the day. Unfortunately, the ball was lost and cleared by Preston, with Lymm’s kick return rolling over the dead ball line and a scrum sixty metres back upfield for Preston.
From this play, the Preston strong running outside centre, playing at fly-half for most of the game, opened space wide on the Lymm wing leading to a try in the corner. The conversion missed, 0-5 after 9 mins and the game was yet to take shape for Lymm.
The restart led to a lineout for Lymm which was adjudged by the referee to be not straight and uncharacteristically slack defence from Lymm allowed Preston to make metres toward the Lymm line and eventually Preston were awarded a penalty at a ruck. A kick to the corner and a driving maul from the line out led to Preston’s second try, this time converted. Twelve points down after 15 minutes, could Lymm find their try-scoring magic?
Of course.
From the restart, a kick from Preston was well fielded by Callum Morris, the pass into space saw Paddy Jennings accelerate into midfield and pass to Sam Wadsworth. With two to beat, Sam’s pace, power and a sidestep infield, saw him over the line for a converted try, 7-12 after 20 mins.
But Lymm were still not at their best.
A poor restart from PGH allowed Lymm to gain territory and on 25 mins, a delayed pass from Morris and an excellent running line from Man of the Match Josh Hadland found the gap in the Preston defence, with Josh’s pace taking him over the line leaving two defenders in his wake. 14-12.
Another session of kicking for territory eventually led to Preston giving away a penalty. A Lymm kick to the corner was followed by a solid maul driving over the try line and Rob Makin, not for the first time this season [nor, the last we hope], emerging from the pile of players with the ball in hand as the scorer. Try converted and three from three so far from Jack Reynolds. 21-12
With conditions deteriorating the rest of the half saw Lymm threatening another try, but the referee blew for the end of the first period. 21-12 and Lymm, whilst not being at their best had found a way to get themselves in front.
Half Time: Lymm 21 – 12 Preston Grasshoppers
The second half started with increased tempo from Lymm, but 3 minutes into the half Lymm lost two players in quick succession to yellow cards. The second card also led to a penalty try for collapsing a driving maul, 21-19.
Lymm’s 13 men defended well for most of the period of the sin bin. Preston also lost one player to another yellow card. On 49 mins, Preston finding space in midfield led to a score under the posts. Preston were again back in front, 21-26.
With Lymm now back to full strength, they picked up where they had left off before they had lost two players to the sin bin. Excellent ball retention and slick passing saw Beesley race under the posts, for a converted try, 28- 26. Surely, this would be when Lymm pulled away.
But Preston were not quite done. Yet another penalty conceded by Lymm saw Preston opt to kick for the posts, duly converted, and a slender 28-29 lead going into the last 10 mins.
All to play for.
Lymm now moved through the gears, moving the ball wide with powerful running again from Wadsworth down the right wing giving Lymm the lead with a converted try.
Lymm dominated the final 7 minutes and a scrum close to the Preston line in the last minute resulted in a strong drive and a wheel toward the left touchline opening up space for Morris to pick the ball from the feet of Oli Higginson at the base of the scrum and evade a couple of desperate tackles for the final converted try of the day.
Six tries, all converted, in increasingly difficult kicking conditions. The twelve points from the Reynolds’ boot kept the pressure on the opposition all afternoon. A key factor on a day when the lead changed hands five times.
Full Time – Lymm 42 – 29 Preston Grasshoppers
Maybe not the best display of the season, but this squad again found a way to win. Twelve wins from thirteen games and only one try bonus dropped in the first half of the season.
Reflecting on the match, Forward’s Coach Mark Williams commented:
“We started slowly against a Preston side who came to play, and paid the price for it going 12-0 down early doors. When we got ourselves into gear, we found our way back into what was never a comfortable game.
‘’Our second half performance was better and our defence, led by MOM Josh Hadland, was excellent. Ultimately, we were able to come away with the full five points we were after,” concluded Mark.
The team lies third in the table, equal on points with Leeds Tykes and Sheffield. It has been a remarkable and hugely enjoyable season to date with Lymm, at times, unstoppable. The defence has been well organised, calm, and at times brutal in its ferocity. The fast, agile forwards have more than matched the larger packs so often seen at this level The ability to score from anywhere on the pitch, at any time, has meant Lymm has been difficult to work out for other teams.
Excellent game management and the ability to win in the final quarter have also been features of the season to date and a factor in the team’s league position. The bumper crowds at home games are a testament to the quality of the performances.
The second half of the season starts next week with Chester’s visit to Lymm. Our nearest neighbours in this league will want to make up for their loss in September. Lymm will want to set out their stall for the following twelve games and show that, like the Lymm Panto, the second act might just be even more enjoyable.
Team: Ralph McEachran (19); Rob Makin* (77); Matty Hand* (120); Rhys Lilly* (62); Samir Tahraoui (14); Seb Kelly (7); Oli Higginson* (276); Josh Hadland* (49); Tom Manaton (12); Jack Reynolds (28); Paddy Jennings* (65); Ste Pilkington* (76); Sam Wadsworth* (29); ; Nathan Beesley* (80); Cal Morris (51).
Bench: Ben Lilley (10); James Pitcher* (80); Ethan Kermode (9); Harry Martin (63); Jack Stride (21)
Match Report: Paul Nolan
Match Photos: Tim Martin