Sheffield 24 – 5 Lymm

Lymm’s run hits the buffers at Sheffield

With Storm Darragh due to cause havoc over the weekend, this top of the table fixture was certainly in some doubt.  With an early morning pitch inspection giving Lymm the green light to travel, the hope was that conditions would not deteriorate ahead of kick-off to reverse that view.  Thankfully, although extremely wet and windy, the match was able to go ahead.

The Lymm squad showed enforced changes in the second row from last time out, with both Ben Thompson and Rhys Lilley unavailable; Samir Tahraoui and Ethan Kermode being promoted from the bench to fill the void.  Positive news though saw centre Steve Pilkington recovered from a short-terem knee injury and club captain James Yates in the squad for the first time this season following his long rehabilitation from summer ankle surgery.  The match also marked the 50^th appearance in a Lymm shirt for scrum-half Cal Morris.

To be honest from the safety of the stand it was difficult to know which team, if any, had the advantage of the conditions – but they certainly didn’t help either side produce the free-flowing rugby that the neutral would have hoped for in a first v third match up.  Amid the driving rain and a fierce, gusty wind Lymm kicked-off.  The inevitable opening kicking duel seemed to favour the Yorkshiremen who were soon awarded a penalty just inside Lymm territory for an infringement at the breakdown, which was put into touch about 10m from the Lymm line.  The catch-and-drive was defused by Lymm, but Sheffield managed to retain the ball and set about a series of “pick and drives” as play crabbed across the pitch towards the posts.  Lymm defended stoically (as they had to do for most of the match) as Sheffield inched towards the tryline.  However, when the referee spotted a Lymm offence giving Sheffield a “free ball”, they moved it wide back towards the right-hand touch where rightwing, Jack Dawson, squirmed over in the corner, for an unconverted try.  5-0 after 4 minutes.

Lymm then enjoyed a period of possession and field position in Sheffield territory but with lineouts a lottery throughout the match – plenty of missed or crooked throws and inevitable handling errors in the conditions – and Sheffield having the upper hand in the set piece, Lymm found it difficult to gain any real foothold or momentum.

When, on 20 minutes Lymm did score, it came from an unexpected quarter.  A Lymm lineout throw 10m from the Sheffield line was adjudged not straight, giving Sheffield a scrum 15m in from touch.  The way the scrums had gone thus far, it looked like this would be meat and drink to the Yorkshire men allowing them to secure possession and boot the ball deep into Lymm territory.  But a huge scrum by Lymm took the Sheffield pack by surprise shoving them backwards such that Lymm won the ball which squirted out of the feet of the Lymm back row.  Quick thinking fly-half Jack Reynolds, they scooted round to the blindside of the scrum, collected the ball and dummied to his left winger, wrong-footing two Sheffield defenders to score 15m to the left of the uprights.  He was, however, unable to add the extras. 5-5 after 20 minutes.

The rest of the half, and indeed the match, continued an attritional pattern.  Following an excellent 50/22 down the 5m channel by full-back Nathan Beesley, Lymm did enjoy a period of pressure around the Sheffield 22, giving hope that they might just get their noses in front.  But in trying to play some slightly more expansive rugby a passing move along the three-quarters broke down and a couple of hefty Sheffield hoofs later and Lymm were back in their own 22.  Indeed, the last 10 minutes was all played out 10m from the Lymm line where a series of penalties, scrums and lineouts interspersed with pick and drives, tested the Lymm defence to its limits.  At one point the unmarked Sheffield right wing dropped the ball over the line but, otherwise, Lymm managed to protect their tryline and with the referee’s whistle for halftime providing relief for players, officials and spectators alike, went in with scores still at parity.

Half-Time:  Sheffield 5 – 5 Lymm

It was clear that the first score of the second half would be massive, giving one team crucial momentum and belief. This score came from Sheffield on 48 minutes.  After a period of pressure in their own 22, Lymm got their hands on the ball at the base of a Sheffield scrum creating an opportunity to clear their lines.  However, in the ensuing contact, Sheffield came away with the ball and a couple of drives later, their second row Archie Crapper managed to force his way over the line just to the right of the posts for a converted try.  12-5.

After this Lymm had very little possession and even less field position – even when Sheffield were reduced to 14 men for a 10 minute period.  Sheffield’s third try was scored 5 minutes later with replacement right-wing Cameron Catleugh touching down in the corner from a couple of metres, which was expertly converted in the conditions by fly-half Callum Posa.  19-5 after 53 minutes.

Sheffield completed the scoring 10 minutes from time with hooker Rhodri Campbell scoring 5m in from the left-hand touch for an unconverted try.  Here Lymm appeared to have won a Sheffield line-out 10m from their own line, only for Campbell to burgle the ball back and dance in unopposed down the 5m channel.

Final score: Sheffield 24 – 5 Lymm

So Lymm’s incredible winning streak came to an end at the 12^th hurdle, as did their position as the only one of the 56 National League clubs to be undefeated with a 100% points record.  Whilst this was disappointing for all in Lymm colours, it has been a truly remarkable start to the season which should be widely applauded.  This weekend’s results put each of Lymm, Sheffield and Leeds Tykes level on 55 league points albeit with Lymm in third place on points difference.

Reflecting on the match, Director of Rugby Adam Fletcher commented:

“Whoever managed the conditions the best were always going to come out on top.  In the 2^nd half Sheffield did just that. The first score in the second half was always going to be massive, as it was almost impossible to chase the game in those conditions.  The lineout was a lottery for both teams and Sheffield had the upper hand in the scrum.  Sheffield thoroughly deserved the win.”

“The boys were in great spirits on the bus and back at the club.  Furthermore, it was great to see 4 of the boys performing in the Xmas Panto that evening!”

Team: Ralph McEachran (18); Rob Makin* (76); Matty Hand* (119); Ethan Kermode (8); Samir Tahraoui (13); Seb Kelly (6); Oli Higginson* (275); Josh Hadland* (48); Cal Morris (50); Jack Reynolds (27); Paddy Jennings* (64); Ste Pilkington* (75); Sam Wadsworth* (28); Jack Stride (20); Nathan Beesley* (79).
Bench: Ben Lilley (9); James Pitcher* (79); Isaac Millachip* (6); James Yates* (123); Tom Manaton (11).

Referee: Jack Moorhouse

Match Report: Andy Leach