Tynedale 32 – 37 Lymm

Six of the best in Lymm’s spanking campaign

Before this game, having won five out of five with a maximum of 25 points, Lymm continued to top the table and were equal first with Leeds Tykes, in a remarkable start to the season’s campaign. Could that run be extended to six out of six?

In a much-anticipated trip to Northumbria, Lymm faced Tynedale, now coached by the legendary Dean Richards, who, although lying third from bottom in the table, with three losses and two draws, are renowned for being a gritty and tough opponent who traditionally start the season poorly.

With an average age of 24, and on a firm but moist pitch following a brief, heavy shower, Lymm kicked off with clear skies and a fresh wind at their backs. In the first minute Tynedale were awarded a penalty but it was missed 35m out. This was to be something of a theme for the day for both sides. Looking dangerous early on the hosts broke through but were brought back for a forward pass.

Lymm, with ball-in-hand, then showed early promise as they moved it slickly through the hands, in a training ground move, to left wing and Captain Nathan Beesley, who chipped through and the ball was retained and recycled. Former Kirkham schoolboy and Sale Sharks loanee debutant back row, the dynamic Seb Kelly, was on hand to score a well-worked try, after 5 mins.

However, all through the afternoon, Tynedale refused to be overawed and came straight back and scored a try of their own through a rolling maul – 5 – 5 on 11 mins as both conversions were missed in the blustery wind.

Now it was Lymm’s turn and, after an attacking line-out 27m from the line, a dummy move in the centres released Beesley once more, to score under the posts. 5 – 12 with fly half Tom Shard’s conversion after 16mins.

A second rolling maul gave Tynedale another try and 10 -12 on the scoreboard after 18 mins, with another theme of the day was developing!

Tyndale clearly saw an advantage in the forwards and began to concentrate on this aspect of the game. Yet another rolling maul resulted in a hat-trick for the hooker Ralph Johnston as they took the lead on 25 mins at 17-12 with a conversion eventually going over.

To and fro we went as Shard kicked to the corner in a cleverly weighted chip for left winger Beesley to collect and score in the corner. 17 – 17 on 31 mins with the conversion missed. This time it was Lymm’s forwards who threatened from an attacking lineout 20m out and a perfectly executed rolling maul allowed hooker James Pitcher to emerge from the melee having successfully scored.

The conversion was missed but the try put Lymm’s noses in front at 17 – 22, on 39 mins.

But the action of the half continued as Tynedale took advantage of a kick to the corner for offside by Lymm and the last play of the half saw, you guessed it, another rolling maul try from that hooker as the half time whistle went, with the conversion missed.

Half Time: Tynedale 22 – 22 Lymm

So what was to decide this intriguing contest as two styles of rugby were clearly being utilised? A yellow card from the ever-watchful ref George Ounsley, for the Tynedale winger for a high tackle in the first minute of the second half resulted in Lymm camping in the opposition’s half for the next quarter.

An attacking lineout 10m from the line gave Lymm the platform they had been working towards and Toby Wilson, the strong young centre in only his second game, made a great break to release right winger Paddy Jennings to score under the posts making it 22 – 29 after 55mins, with Shard’s conversion.

Eventually, and with the wind behind them, Tynedale worked their way up the pitch and had a scrum 15m out near the posts. They moved the ball wide to the left wing who scored in the corner. 27 – 29 with the conversion missed.

On 65 mins another attacking line out 20m out resulted, remarkably, in the host’s hooker scoring his fifth try wide out from a rolling maul – 32 – 29 with the conversion missed, by hitting the upright.

With the clock ticking and Lymm refusing to lie down, the visitors executed a series of moves along the backline but the last pass went to ground. However, the ref had indicated ‘Not releasing in the tackle’ giving Shard an easy penalty under the sticks. 32 – 32 after 72 mins and all to play for.

Up to this point Ollie Higginson, the veteran No 8 and talisman for Lymm had been busy trying to disrupt the throw-in and this lethal rolling maul weapon Tynedale kept using, to no avail.

A final attacking lineout by Tynedale, who incidentally decided to kick for the corner when the converted penalty kick would, at that point, put them in front, was now a major threat to Lymm for obvious reasons.

The ball was thrown in by Tynedale 20m from the Lymm line, and Higginson competed and successfully stole the ball for the first time in the match, in a game-defining moment.

The ball was worked up the pitch and another high tackle after a lineout followed by interference at the next lineout by Tynedale, gave Lymm field position as the end of the game approached.

From the lineout 5m from the Tyndale line the ball was moved left and wide, and back again, as Lymm, time and again, battered the Tynedale line. Great defence thwarted every action until left winger Nathan Beesley spotted a gap and powerfully went through it for the winning score wideout on the left, and his hat trick, in the dying seconds. For the record, Beesley has now scored 68 tries in 73 appearances. The conversion was missed as the ref blew his whistle.

Full Time: Tynedale 32 – 37 Lymm

In a game of highly contrasting styles, there was much relief all round in the Lymm camp, making it six wins out of six and, apparently, Dean Richards was flabbergasted (this reporter’s word, not his) that the penalty was not kicked by the hosts to put them in front towards the end.

Head coach Andy Davies had this to say: ‘We were under no illusions about how difficult today’s game at Tynedale would be. After watching their games, it was obvious that they were a much better side than their position in the table would suggest, and that was proven today.

‘We obviously have a lot to work on, but we scored some amazing tries. And the courage and determination shown by the lads to score in the last play of the game should give great confidence to this young squad moving forwards.

‘Just alluding to that, we had three debutants today with a quarter of our match-day squad being 20 or under, so absolutely delighted for them to come through this experience with another five points heading home,’ concluded Andy.

The three hour bus trip home was lively!

Starting XV: 1. Ben Lilley (4); 2. James Pitcher* (73); 3. Matty Hand* (113); 4. Ethan Kermode (3); 5. Ben Thompson (35); 6. Rob Makin* (70); 7. Seb Kelly (1); 8. Oli Higginson* (269); 9. Cal Morris (44); 10. Tom Shard* (140); 11. Paddy Jennings* (58); 12. Ste Pilkington* (71); 13. Toby Wilson (2); 14. Nathan Beesley (c)* (73); 15. Sam Wadsworth* (22).

Bench: 16. Dan Hunter (4); 17. Oliver Thornton (1); 18. Danny Senior* (1); 19. Tom Manaton (5); 20. Jack Stride (15).

() denotes First XV appearances

*denotes Graduate of Lymm Colts Academy

Referee: George Ounsley

Match Report: Simon Plumb