A weekend to forget for Pethy

23/11/08 - Somerset Vase Round 2: Gordano 21 v 13 North Petherton

Report by Lloyd Williams

This will be a weekend to forget for Pethy. Things started and finished poorly, after several players involved in the Sunday club tie were required to play on Saturday due to a huge number of late unavailabilities. There were also a good number of regular first team players who were unavailable to play on the Sunday, combined with this was a less than average turn out at training - many due to work commitments.

Pethy started with a young and experimental front row, Andy Long was returning after several months of absence due to work; he stepped in for Sam Williams who only just became available before kick off. Powerhouse and normally in the second row, Adam Modrzynski with only one training session under the watchful eye of new scrum coach Chris Rees, beneath his belt, stepped into replace the massive hole in the team left by the in form Harley Brown and authoritative Matt Angel. James Lees returned to second row after an outstanding game the day before. There was a re-jig in the backs, mainly to give Tom Williams the experience at fly-half, due to the possibility of Captain Lloyd Williams’s absence as he is awaiting the imminent birth of his third child. This gave Rob Havill chance to steak his claim as a possible fullback. Even with all the issues Pethy still traveled away confident they could continue the good run of results.

Pethy played with the elements first half on a cold, windy and wet afternoon, things were even for the first 10 minutes or so and it was the home team who began to look likely to score with some good attacking through their backs, but the Pethy backs managed to holt them before they got into scoring zones. Also it became clear to see the home team tactic, they put huge pressure on the breakdown area, play on the edge around the rucks and mauls, often kicking the ball out the back of rucks and creeping around the fringes.

During this period Tom Williams had a long range penalty kick just go wide. Pethy were finding it hard to get the phases going with the stop start play. Eventually after disrupting most of the Pethy possession and giving scrum half Neil Lennox a very tough time, Pethy were awarded another penalty. Tom Williams sent a Wilkinson style kick deep into the home sides 22m line. A great lineout saw beefcake Matt Brown crash his way over. Tom slotted the conversion. Gordano responded straight away with an unconverted try of their own, after a poor clearance kick, which was run back at a disorganised defence.

With James Lees commanding in the lineouts, retaking his Johnson-esk row calling the shots, after several weeks out, it was proving the best source of possession and the resulting drives gained good ground.

Near the end of the half, quick hands from Mike Taylor and fast feet from Tom Williams released Bradley Archer down his wing, with Habana like speed round his opposite man and was away, unfortunately his foot crossed the touch line as he brushed off a would be tackler. Soon after the home team conceded yet another penalty which Tom Williams slotted.

After Simon Gingell found himself at the receiving end of a boot to the face, even though the ref penalized the player for it that was the only action taken for a very dangerous incident, Tom Williams kicked the penalty.

There was enough time left for the home side to launch an attack which came from touch finding kicks after a couple of pointless penalty were conceded, this allowed the home team to eventually crash their way over for another unconverted try.

Within 10 minutes of the second half the home team had slotted two penalties putting them in the lead, the first after a long range clearance in which Rob Havill didn’t quite have the feet of Robinson and was caught as he tried to run it out of his own 22m and there was a penalty at the breakdown. The second soon after, though Pethy were unsure of the reason, but it was suggested they were off side though the ball was clearly out.

The rest of the half Pethy tried to run the ball to gain territory but the home teams open side was having a good day, due to the sheer number of turnovers he was causing, always managing to get to the breakdown first, resulting in Pethy unable to maintain possession. Mid way through the second half Lloyd Williams returned to 10 allowing Tom Williams to deal with Gordano using the wind and increasing the number of kicks sent into the Pethy half. As time went Pethy found it harder and harder to string the phases together. There were a couple of good periods, with good runs by Sam Williams, who had come on for Long and Havill coming off his wing at pace. The only real scoring chance was when Pethy ran it from deep in their own 22m and Tom Williams was away, he took it all the way to the home teams 22m and off loaded to Taylor who looked in but the cover defence got there just in time and stopped the attack. Soon after, Pethy’s very own Richie McCaw - Mike Taylor was replaced after another solid game by Keith Robinson.

With less than 10 minutes to go Pethy tried to run everything, but after several poorly conceded penalties they found themselves defending their line and eventually Gordano out numbered the defence and scored an unconverted try in the corner. Pethy tried their best to throw the ball around but with no success. Final score 21 – 13 and the end of a good run of results for Pethy’s first team.

Generally a poor day at the office for all. The backs only showed glimmers out their potential and struggled without quick ball, but something they need to deal with when they play teams with disruptive forwards. However dishing out and receiving some huge Noon like tackles, Chris Burge gave his all throughout and stood out in the backs. The forwards were solid but just seemed to be muscled out at the breakdown and were unable to stop the home packs constant infringing, making it impossible for Lennox to send out quick ball consistantly, which they were hugely disappointed by. Adam Modrzynski had a solid start to his front row career and could yet prove to be Pethy’s own Andrew Sheridan in the scrumage.

Tries: M.Brown

Cons: T.Williams

Pens: T.Williams (2)

Drop Goals:

Team: 15. Havill, 14. L.Williams, 13. C.Burge, 12. Foad, 11. Archer, 10. T.Williams, 9. Lennox (Rep. Rybaruk, 70), 1. Prescott, 2. Long (Rep. S.Williams, 50), 3. Modrzynski, 4. Gingell, 5. Lees, 6. Tarr, 7. Taylor (Rep. Robinson, 65), 8. M.Brown. Reps Unused: B.Williams, Frost