Old Yardleians RFC: Club News
Belligerence!
Sun, 06 Mar 2016 12:00
Unlike the season's previous encounter, with Kings Norton 2nds unable to draw on their firsts for support they declined the short trip to Tilehouse Lane, leaving our Master of Fixtures to pluck out the Club's first ever fixture against Gnosall 1sts from Staffordshire. Gnosall (silent G obviously), ply their trade in Staffordshire Merit 2, and currently sit five points clear having won 11 of their 15 games, so another tough assignment on the cards for the Elderly Gentlemen of the Club. As expected a very youthful Gnosall took to the field early doors to run the countless drills so popular amongst the young these days. The Vandals arriving on site in their usual "staggered" manner moreorless in time for kick off. Gnosall with twenty odd years on virtually our entire side with the exception of our two young wingers started with vim & vigour and took the lead with a well struck penalty. As usual the Vandals treating the first ten minutes as a warm up continued to absorb pressure, before working their way up field for a Gnosall lineout inside their 22, great pressure from the evergreen Nick Levey charging down the clearance kick, saw both him and second row Dave Rimmer chasing down the loose ball with the slighty longer Rimmer touching down to take the lead 5-3. However Gnosall continued to play the percentage game, and indiscretions by the home side saw two more well struck penalties sail over to give them a 9-5 lead at half time. Shortly after half time a well worked move saw Gnosall increase their lead further with an unconverted try out wide, and the Vandals were looking down the barrel again at 14-5 down. But as our regular readers know we seldom lie down and with our pack beginning to exert more & more control over the youngsters with a series of powerful driving mauls and punishing scrums. Rimmer now playing at No.8 added to his tally for the day with push over try converted by fly half Max Gimson, to bring the Vandals within a score at 14-12. With the young Gnosall pack increasingly unable to cope with the experienced (read heavier) Vandals eight who began to turn the screw at every scrum two further close range scores from No.8 Rimmer taking his tally for the game to four, and prop Richard Bragg saw the home side safely home, with Gimson adding a conversion the final score was 29-14.