HEREFORD 101 - 6 WOLVERHAMPTON
Wyeside, 28 September 2002
Hereford RFC put in a record-breaking performance on Saturday when they became the first Herefordshire and indeed North Midlands side to score over 100 points since the leagues began over 15 years ago. Club chairman Guy Griffiths said, “This was a tremendous effort from the players and a reward for all the hard work put in during the close season. There is still a very long way to go to the end of the season, in which we are still aiming to finish in a top four position, but the main thing is that the players and the supporters are enjoying their Rugby after 4 or 5 years where playing and watching had become a drudge. Our new squad of players have introduced enthusiasm, fitness, skill and fun back into the Club.”
Hereford opened the scoring after 5 mins through a Colin Osbourne penalty. From the kick off the ball was won alternatively by both sides when Osbourne caught a speculative kick from Wolverhampton in his own 22. He broke forward and a fluent passing movement then involving Des White, Shannon Dicke and Osborne again ended in Ciren Griffiths going over for the first try after 10 mins. Osbourne converted. Some 5 mins later, following a well won line out from Jamie Bullock, who produced a regular supply of good clean continued throughout the game, a passing movement involving Robbie Atkinson White and Dicke ended in Atkinson going over for the second try. Again Osbourne converted. From the Kick Off Hereford again went into the attack and a fine Drop Goal from Paul Beach gave Hereford a 20 point lead after 25 minutes. Wolverhampton immediately responded and following a 10-minute spell of pressure saw Full Back Roger England kick 2 penalties to pull the score back to 20-06. With only 5 minutes of the first half left a penalty was won by the ever present Andy Johnson, who worked tirelessly throughout the game and Will McCaid took a quick penalty and sprinted through for his try in the corner. Just on half time a speculative kick from Osbourne was brought under control by White and the speedy winger went over for his first try. Osbourne duly converted.
The second half started with Hereford leading 32-06 and the supporters were wondering if they could make it 50 points. Some 10 minutes after the break a well worked move from the back of a scrum saw McCaid break away and feed Des White who sprinted away for his second of the day. Osbourne converted; Robbie Atkinson retired with a slight muscle pull and was replaced by Mark Morrison. From the line out Beach controlled the shots and put Osbourne away for a fine try, which he converted himself. (46-6). Following an inter passing move between forwards and back, Griffiths and Osbourne sent White over for his third try, which Osbourne converted. Hereford then dominated the game until the last 10 mins and further tries from Beach, Griffiths, Gary Preece (2), Dicke (2), Osbourne, along with 3 conversions took the score to an incredible 94-6.
With 5 mins to go Wolverhampton put up a series of attacks and only the stoutest defence kept the home sides line in tact. Fine work from Morrison and Preece again fed White who scampered over in the corner for his 4th and the teams 15th try of the game in the very last minute. With the score at 99- 06 the 200 odd crowd fell silent as Osbourne faced the most difficult of kicks to break the hundred mark. The young full back did not let them down and despatched the ball straight through the posts, to bring his personnel tally to 33pts.
Hereford travel away to Derby next Saturday where the unbeaten Derby side will prove a sterner test for Hereford. Derby, like some other sides in the Midlands have invested heavily to recruiting players from other Clubs, in an attempt to gain promotion. Whatever happens next week Herefords policy of investing in their homegrown players is paying off.