Sat 8 Sep 2018
Worksop travelled down the road to Meden Vale, knowing from last season they would be in for a tough game especially in the forwards. With last weeks victory over Amber Valley, Captain John Williams knew he had changes to make to omprove his side, especially with the line out with very little option than throwing to number two throughout the game.
This week saw the return of Kevin Maguire and Nick Barratt. On paper, team selection looked one of its strongest for a number of saesons, especially on the back row with options to use Williams at 8, Baarratt open side and gladitorial Nick Kay at blindside. In the backs, available was Kyle Billam at 10 and centres both Matthew and Jackson Nunn.
The game was delayed with a minutes silence in respect of the sad loss of one of Worksop's stalwarts and life time player/member Peter Hutchinson (Blue) who lost his fight for life last Sunday.
From kick off Worksop took advantage of the conditions in their favour with a strong diagnal wind, knowing they would need to defend very well in the second half. Meden Vale kicked off, where Worksop took cleanly and took back to Vale forwards. Worksop pack set a good platform for Liam Cooper to deliver quick ball to the backs. Attacking play took Worksop into the opposition 22m area where again from the break down ball was passed to young Jack Oxby who carried well 10 meter and set second phase ball, further pressure allowed Jack to receive the ball once again only this time deemed by the referee to be holding on in the tackle and from a Vale penalty cleared their line for a half way line out in their favour.
Worksop challenged well in the line out and with added presure from the back row of Barratt and Kay placed Vale on the back foot in a ruck and Vale were penalised for not staying on their feet. Matt Nunn kicked Worksop to within 10 meters of Vale try line. Worksops line out allowed a well organised catch and drive short of Vale line. The ball was passed out from the bottom of a ruck to Captain Williams, who stood on the left hand touch, a great shout 10 meters out by Kay on the inside of Willams, Kay drove over with two of Vale defenders on tow to score Worksop's first points. with no conversion Worksop were 5:0 after 12 minutes of play.
From the restart Worksop forwards again secured the ball and set a good platform for the backs to receive, excellent delivery from Cooper to Billam who took on his opposite number and released the ball with precision timing to Matt Nunn who unleashed Jackson Nunn to weave his way through the Vale defence from just inside the Worksop half to 10 meters of the Vale try line. From a scrummage Worksop forwards were under pressure of the strength of the Vale pack. Williams going backwards picked up drove to within 5 meters only to be stopped from adding more points The home side defended well and eventaully cleared their line which placed Worksop with a line out in their favour 15 meters out of the Vale try line. With precision ball thrown in by loose head prop Alan Hopkinson and targets of Willams at two and Maguire at four gave excellent line out ball delivery. Text book play straight of the training ground saw Jackson Nunn receive the ball at outside centre position and once again switched direction and threaded his way through the opposition defence to place the ball between the posts for an additional 5 ponts and a succefull conversion gave Worksop a 12:0 lead with 10 minutes remaining of the first half.
The remaining time was played in Meden Vale's half with Worksop placing further pressure. Vale defended well and cleared their lines. Last minute of the first half witnessed an unfortunate incident where after the referee had stopped the game Vale scrum half, in his frustration kicked the ball accidently hitting Prop Hopkinson where he suffered a serious hand injury and had to be replaced.
At 12:0 Worksop were unsure if this would be enough with the wind against them on the turn around, they would need to keep it tight in defence and work hard to place Vale under pressure with no time to kick to the bottom left hand corner.
Worksop kicked off to start the second half, the ball hung well in the air to give time for Worksop forwards time to pressurise Vale's receiving pack. Vale were forced to kick for touch on the short side, this made little ground an gave Worksop a lineout on half way. Clean ball received at 10 Kyle Billam, who demonstrated a skill remeniscent of his father Kieth, with a switch from right to left he took on Vale back row and weaved through to clear ground making a carry of 35 meters to pass out to his support in field 15 meters from Vale try line, only for the player to drop the ball and knock on giving Vale a scrum. Clearing their line Vale placed Worksop on the half way for a line out. With almost exactly the same play the ball passed down the line to reach Jackson Nunn at outside centre position with 30 metres from Vale try line Jackson with his unorthodox style, which must be a nighmare for any player outside him on the wing position, came back inside with his effective attacking running, swithching left and right and strong hand offs in the tackle, he reached the try line to give Worksop their third try and his second, near to the opposition posts giving M Nunn a successful conversion allowed Worksop to take a 19:0 lead.
15 minutes into the second half Captain Williams made changes, resting Cooper allowed young wing forward Bunny to join the forwards and releasing Kevin Maguire from lock position to his natural flamboyant style of scrum half, with a moment of adjustment Maguire was taken by surprise by his opposite number who picked up a loose ball at the back of a Worksop scrum in their 10 metere to half way area. The ball was kicked through to Worksop 22 meter area where Worksop conceeded a penalty. Vale carried and Worksop were caught again with discipline issues giving Vale a further penalty. Vale carried again instead of taking advantage of the conditions well within distance of 3 points or a lineout 5 meters out, chose to run against a very well drilled and strong defensive Worksop team. Finally a third penalty was awarded to Vale who now chose a scrum. Vale 8 picked up and after several attempts to get the ball over the Worksop try line, they had drawn the Worksop players in central of the park and delivered a long ball to outside centre position. Vale centre ran with good strength against the defence and made it over to score Vale's first try, unfortunatly for Vale, the palyer was injured and had to be replaced, with a successfull conversion the score after 60 minutes play now stood at Worksop 19 Vale 7.
With the wind against the kick off, Matt Nunn had mastered the drop out to perfection only to be spoiled by a knock on by a Worksop player. A Vale scrum gave the home side good ground into Worksop half and further play took place between Worksop and Vale 10 meter line without either side gaining advantage. Vale tested Worksop full back Charlie Rowett on several occassions, taking the ball cleanly and displaying good handling skills Charlie ran against the opposition with good strength in the takle securing the ball until support arrived.
Vale continued to place Worksop under moments of pressure during the second half only to be let down by indecisiveness amongst key players and poor handling skills.
With 5 minutes remaining Williams switched the team, bringing Copper back to scrum half for a lineout on the far side in Vale's 22 meter area, clean ball to two allowed Cooper to catch out Vale back row by sniping around the open side to 10 meters from Vale try line, popped to Kay on his shoulder who, to the crowed looked to have gone over for his second try, only to be returned for a knock on and a scrum to the home side. Vale failed to clear from the scrum, missing touch, full back Rowett for Worksop carried back to his forwards who set a secure platform and clean delivery to the backs saw the ball passed across the field where Jackson Nunn passed to Joe Gray on the wing who stepped back in side with 10 meters from Vale try line held up long enough for support to arrive from Worksop forwards and backs combined, to set up a driving maul where Liam Cooper took the ball safely over the line for Worksop's fourth try. With no conversion the final score was Worksop 24 Meden Vale 7.
Overall a good whole team performance by Worksop, they were unlucky not to have two further scores in the first half by Jackson Nunn and team captain John Williams and in the second half by Nick Kay. The back row of Williams, Barratt and Kay and utility player Cooper is possibly the strongest at Worksop for many seasons and well worth visiting Stubbing meadows for this exciting team of players from back row and through the backs. With consistancy of players available this team will be difficult to beat this season.
Medan Vale could not cope with the ferocity and strength of the Worksop back row, Billam at number 10 and the two centres of Matthew and Jackson Nunn. Vale strategically made the wrong descion to run at Worksop instead of taking advantage of the conditions with a strong wind in their favour in the second period of the game.
Tries N Kay 1, J Nunn 2, Cooper 1.
Conversions M Nunn 2
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