‘Lydney lose in final game thriller.’
Report and Pictures by Roger Pike
Royal Wootton Bassett 27 Lydney 15
A short trip for the final league game saw Lydney head to Royal Wootton Basset for a very tough looking fixture against a side on a six match unbeaten run writes Roger Pike. Director of Rugby Sam Arnott in his final game was forced into changes again that has plagued the team all season never being able to field the same side in consecutive weeks. In the pack Rowan Mullis started at hooker, Jack Cuthbert returned to the second row, in the backs Max Turner and Tyerees Douglas started on the wings. James Lane, Jack Knox and Coby Scriven made a very youthful replacements bench. Bassett would offer a stern test and so it proved, with the hosts in seventh and Lydney in sixth, a win was required to reverse the placings, but a close game followed and only a try in the last minutes secured the win to pass Lydney in the table.
The Lydney side was disrupted further with Joe Hamlin suck in a traffic issue, Ben Large started the game at outside half and forward Jack Knox came into the centre. The hosts started the stronger playing with the wind advantage and dominated the opening encounters. From a 5m scrum they drove over to open the scoring; Rhys Floyd added the conversion for 7 – 0. Knox then got a head injury, so Hamlin joined to balance up the backline, the visitors did create some good chances but lacked a cutting edge to score and made a few handling errors which stopped some good opportunities. The hosts took full advantage of the wind to play in the Lydney half but solid defence particularly from Cuthbert and Price kept them out. Winning a penalty Floyd opted to kick 10 – 0 after 25 minutes. Lydney then had a prolonged spell of possession to create some good scoring chances, but their only score came from a Tom Broady penalty 10 -3. The visitors remained well in the game with the forwards on top. Frowen, Heaven and Cuthbert were outstanding, some good drives from Searls and Mullis were also making good ground, another chance from a Bonia drive got close to the line but the hosts manged to turn the ball over and the half ended.
With the wind advantage the visitors came out strongly, the pack through Mullis, Knox and Cuthbert made huge ground, Broady spun the ball out wide and the man of the match Kyle Frowen collect the ball to beat two tacklers and score in the corner 10 – 8. The hosts responded from the kick off winning a penalty which Floyd kicked 13 – 8. The visitors then had a great chance to score but from a line out lost the ball and the hosts went deep into the Lydney half, only a dropped ball stopped another score. However, the attacks continued and they scored from a 5m lineout when Mitch Gough crossed for a converted try 20 – 8. The visitors did not give up, and a superb lineout catch from Heaven set up a Ben Large break, the recycled ball saw Rowan Mullis cut through the defence on the 22m area and managed to score despite two tacklers around him, Broady added the easy conversion 20 -15. With just 10 minutes left it was a nervous watch as with the 5-point difference was enough for Lydney to retain 6th place in the league. Injuries to Hanslow and Heven emptied the Lydney bench with Lane and Scriven on as replacements. Solid Lydney defence from Price, Turner, Frowen and Cuthbert amongst many kept the hosts out. However, they created a final chance in the closing stages when big Sam Tabuavuaka crashed over from close range, Floyd converted to end the game 27 -15. The loss of this final fixture sees Lydney finish in seventh position with 11 wins, 2 draws and 9 defeats so a very respectable season given the circumstances. Let us hope the RFU review the league format and increase the number of teams; 12 teams do not help with a Clubs income and continuity; it gives numerous empty weeks with no fixtures. In addition, the new format having the bottom four in a relegation situation again does not look sensible with just the 12 teams in the league.
Director of Rugby Sam Arnott commented ‘Delighted with attitude the players again showed, they fronted up despite all the difficulties. It is a shame to end with a loss as I thought we deserved better, but I have really enjoyed my role over the past four years, I have had some great times with both the players and supporters. It is pleasing to end blooding some young players in the past months who have improved immensely and the future looks bright at Regentsholme.’
Lydney – Alfie Searls, Rowan Mullis, James Bonia, Danny Hodge, Jack Cuthbert, Harvey Heaven, Kyle Frowen, Pat Hanslow, Tom Broady, Joe Hamlin, Tyerees Douglas, Ben Large©, Danny Price, Max Turner, Alex Nelmes. Replacements James Lane Jack Knox, Coby Scriven.
