OLD LAURENTIANS 23 - 6 HEREFORD
Bilton, 2 November 2002
Powergen Midlands 2 West League
Hereford 1st team visited Old Laurentians for the first time in their history in a top of the table clash. On this occasion Hereford came off second best to a team that played better on the day by a score of 23-6. Hereford were halted in their tracks from winning good quick clean ball by a Laurentians pack that knew that they could win, if they stopped the supply to the Hereford backs. Laurentians scored two tries in the first 20 minutes and then shut up shop to deny Hereford scoring a try for the first time this season.
Laurentians went straight into the attack from the whistle and after sustained forward pressure were awarded a penalty under the posts for a handling on the floor infringement. Evans made no mistake and the home side went into a 3-0 lead after 8 minutes. From the kick off Hereford attacked the Laurentians line and Osborne kicked the scores level for a similar offence. By that time Hereford had lost at least 4 of their own scrums and were being starved of the ball. The small amount of ball Hereford did win, they tried to run and it was from one of these that a handling error occurred and it was a Laurentians’ scrum 15 yards out. Quick ball allowed their backs to cut back in to the forwards where prop Caplow was on hand to score under the posts. Evans’ conversion made it 10-3 after 12 minutes.
From the kick-off Osborne had a chance to reduce the lead but narrowly missed. From the resulting 22 Laurentians forced another scrum to put the Hereford defence under pressure and a missed tackle from the Hereford scrum half allowed full back and Captain Wallis to slide in under the posts, after a neat miss move in the centre. The score after 20 minutes was 17-3 and it was an uphill battle for Hereford from then on. For the remainder of the half Hereford constantly tried to counter attack with any ball that they could muster and from one such move Des White was held up just short of the line. Robbie Atkinson in attack and Andrew Johnson along with Matthew Pritchard in defence were always prominent but the pressure from the Laurentians’ forwards continued to deny the Hereford backs the ball.
Will McQuaid went off injured and was replaced by John Ridgeon who by the end of the game was the pick of the Hereford Forwards.
As half time approached only a try saving tackle from Ciren Griffiths stopped Laurentians from going further ahead. Indeed at half time the Hereford losses on their own scrum had moved into double figures.
In the second half Hereford again tried to attack on every occasion the ball was secured, but as soon as play broke down Laurentians generally won the scrummage, or put Hereford under such pressure that the ball could not be used effectively.
Midway through the second half the Hereford forwards were again penalised in front of their posts and Evans made no mistake to take the score to 20-3. Even at this stage the game could have gone either way had Hereford been able to secure some ball for their backs but the meagre supply of ball was either fumbled or kicked away back to the opposition. 5 minutes later some intelligent running from the backs ensured a penalty for a handling offence and Osborne made it 20-6.
Living on scraps the Hereford backs continued to attack and a fluid movement set up by Johnson and Ridgeon allowed Ciren Griffiths, Des White and Colin Osborne to attack deep into the home side 22 metres. Unfortunately from the ensuing scrum Hereford were unable to gain possession and the moment was lost. Richard Mason defended well in his first league game and almost made a couple of interceptions. The last couple of minutes saw another penalty for the home side for a handling offence and Evans kicked the final points 23 –6.
Chairman Guy Griffiths said “firstly I would like to congratulate our players on a very workmanlike performance, particularly John Ridgeon and Richard Mason who both performed well in their first league games. The players will know where they went wrong and how to improve their overall game. Generally we did not win enough ball but the whole squad will be working to put that right”.
Hereford struggle for possession
HEREFORD suffered their second league defeat of the campaign away to the unbeaten leaders in a Powergen Midlands 2 West top-of-the-table clash. Second-placed Hereford struggled to win quick, clean ball for their speedy backs and failed to register a try for the first time this season. Making the trip to Old Laurentians for the first time in their history, the Wyesiders were dealt a double blow early on when they conceded two tries in the opening 20 minutes.
Laurentians attacked from the first whistle and were awarded a penalty underneath the posts for a handling infringement in the eighth minute which Evans successfully kicked. Hereford then returned the pressure and drew level when Colin Osborne kicked a penalty after the home side were penalised for a similar offence.
By this time, however, Hereford lost at four of their own scrums and they were also being starved of the ball.
Quick ball from a scrum allowed the hosts' backs to surge forward where prop Caplow was on hand to score underneath the posts and Evans kicked the conversion to put Laurentians 10-3 up after 12 minutes.
The home side soon forced another scrum which put the Hereford defence under pressure and a missed tackle in the 20th minute allowed Wallis to score a converted try underneath the posts after a neat move in the centre.
Hereford tried to counter- attack for the remainder of the half and Des White came close to scoring. However, it needed a try-saving tackle from Ceiron Griffiths at the other end to stop Laurentians going further ahead.
Midway through the second half Hereford's forwards were again penalised in front of their own posts and Evans took advantage to put the home side 20-3 in front.
Hereford responded within five minutes and some intelligent running by the backs forced a penalty and Osborne stepped up to take his team's tally to six.
In the dying minutes Hereford were again penalised for a handling offence and Evans completed the scoring with another penalty.
Hereford, already out of cup competitions, are hoping for a friendly fixture from the pool this Saturday.
Failing that, the Wyesiders will play a practice match between their own players.