HEREFORD 6 - 32 SUTTON COLDFIELD
Wyeside, 16 November 2002
Powergen Midlands 2 West League
Hereford RFC were well beaten, in both terms of the word, by a Sutton Coldfield team that came down to bludgeon their way to victory. Hereford had a below strength side as 8 of the squad were unavailable. Will McCaid, although recovering from injury, did make himself available for the bench and made a difference to the structure of play when he came on for the second half.
Billy Grisman, who had his 18th birthday two weeks ago, made his 1st team debut at scrum half and after finding his feet in the first 40 minutes gave a creditable performance that will do his confidence the world of good and adds yet another youngster to the long list who have played 1st XV rugby for Hereford this season. Young Grisman joined his brother Jeremy in the side and was unfortunately only a couple of years to late to have played alongside his father Gus Grisman.
Sutton went immediately into the attack and held Hereford in their half for the first 20 minutes before Number 12 Mike Nevitt kicked a penalty to make the score 0-3. The pattern of the game had been set by several skirmishes off the ball, whilst the referee’s back was turned.
Fine defence held out the Sutton attack for a further 10 minutes until Nevitt broke clear form a miss move in the centre and converted his own try to make the score 0-10.
Hereford then went into the attack and pressed the Sutton line on several occasions before being awarded a penalty for handling on the ground, which Colin Osbourne despatched comfortably. 3-10.
A further infringement gave Osbourne a second penalty to make the score 6-10. In the last 5 minutes of the half Sutton besieged the Hereford line with their forwards winning consistently good ball and only try saving tackles from Osborne, Mason and Dicke kept the visitors out. Just before half time however prop Styles powered over for a try and Nevitt converted for a 6-17 lead at the break.
The game continued with sporadic off the ball incidents upsetting the flowing game of the Hereford side and some good attacking phases saw Hereford held up several times and unlucky not to get at least one score.
However too many handling errors did the home side no favours and more balls skills need to be worked on. A penalty was given inside the Sutton half after 30 minutes and the centre Nevitt played it quickly and sped towards the Hereford line. There followed a 5-minute spell of Sutton pressure on the Home line until finally the other centre Spires touched down. Nevitt again converted to take the score out of reach to 6-24, with less than 5 minutes to go.
Hereford threw caution to the wind in an attempt to snatch a try but it was to no avail as two further handling errors in the dying minutes allowed winger Lockley to break away twice to touch down the last being converted by Nevitt. 6-32.
Hereford’s Chairman Guy Griffiths said, “Obviously we are disappointed that we have not put in a good performance for the last few games. The players are aware of the game plan and they must stick to it. Other teams now know the way we play and are determined to upset our rhythm, by fair means or foul. However the players must rise above that and not get involved. We set out at the beginning of the season looking to get promotion within 2 or 3 years and that is still our aim, although we have are obviously looking for promotion as soon as possible. We have blooded over 10 home grown Colts and ex Colts into the first team. What other Club has such depth in young talent? The Colts team is still doing exceptionally well and the 3rd team put 50 points on Ledbury 2nds. The junior section is the envy of all Midlands Clubs. This is the Club to be at in the next few years as players given their opportunity to play in the 1st team mature together”. On asked about the referee he said, “ The referees in this division do not appear to be biased in any way, just simply inept.”