‘Lydney beat Cornish All Blacks in thriller.’
Report and Pictures by Roger Pike
Lydney 27 Launceston 21
Lydney faced another tough encounter against a strong Launceston side writes Roger Pike. With numerous players still unavailable Sam Arnott had yet another shuffle around, Alfie Searls came into the front row, Jack Cuthbert made a welcome return and Aaron Esiri started on the wing, Pat Hanslow captained the side. The replacements were Zax Williams, James Lane and Ben Large back following a lengthy spell out with injury. To maintain a top half table position Lydney needed a response after last week’s disappointing display, a thrilling game followed with the visitors scoring three tries to lead at the break but a superb display in the second half saw Lydney storm back thanks to a hat trick of tries from Tom Rowe and superb kicking performance from Charlie Beddis to earn a deserved win.
Playing down the slope, the visitors dominated the opening encounters and kept the hosts in their own half. A penalty won, they kicked to the corner, a catch and drive saw them score the opening try, James Tucker kicked the conversion for 0 – 7. The hosts stunned into action created some good pressure to win a penalty. A Harvey Heaven catch saw them drive towards the 22m line, the ball spun out saw a Beddis break offloaded to Price who passed to Tom Rowe to touchdown, Beddis added the extras to level the scores. The visitors responded immediately winning a penalty kicked to the corner, a simple catch and drive saw Ben Hancock score, again Tucker converted 7 – 14. Solid defence in the backs from Hamlin and Price nullified the attacks but Launceston continued to dominate and soon scored again with a backs move and winger Olly Bevington crossed, Tucker converted 7 – 21. It was critical the hosts scored next, with a penalty won from another Frowen turnover they set up a catch and drive, but the scoring chance was denied with the forwards splitting for offside. The hosts were soon back on the attack, a lineout take from Hanslow saw winger Rowe cut a superb line between the centres to go clean through for the score, again Beddis converted 14 – 21 to end the half.
Lydney welcomed back Ben Large who came on for Hamlin to start the second half, rallied by the team talk a penalty won was kicked from long range by Beddis 17 – 21. The game was end to end now, the visitors won a penalty for a high tackle and kicked to the corner but the solid Lydney defence from Frowen, Heaven and Price in particular held firm. The hosts then won a penalty and another long-range kick from Beddis sailed over for 20 – 21. The visitors then had another good spell of pressure and only an interception from Esiri stopped a certain score. Lydney created some good attacks but two chances on the 5m line saw them lose the ball and scoring chances gone. The hosts kept the spell of pressure on with forward pressure through strong runs from Knox, Cuthbert, and the impressive Bonia. With Frowen and Heaven first to any breakdown kept the hosts on the attack. A further series of drives kept the pressure on, when Turner spun the ball, Beddis, Large and Nelmes whipped the ball along the line for Rowe to get his third try in the corner, Beddis added the difficult conversion 27 – 21. Only six points down the visitors then piled on the pressure in the last 5 minutes to get the win, a brilliant tackle on Hancock by Max Turner saved a certain score. Price put in a superb display all afternoon and man of the match Harvey Heaven was good in attack and defence. Launceston continued to dominate in injury time camped around the Lydney 5m line but superb tackles from Knox, Hanslow, Large and Cuthbert kept them out to end the game 27 – 21. So, the Bledisloe Club completed the double over the visitors to keep them in the top half of the table thanks to a superb team display showing some real character, the challenge now is to win their final three games.
Director of Rugby Sam Arnott commented ‘We needed a response after last week, they are a good side, were competitive throughout, we gave away a few unnecessary penalties in the first half and they took full advantage. However the character of the side is exceptional and showed today in attack and defence, we dominated the second half to get a deserved win, another tough test follows away at Marlborough in two weeks’ time.’
Lydney – Alfie Searls, Jack Knox, James Bonia, Danny Hodge, Jack Cuthbert, Harvey Heaven, Kyle Frowen, Pat Hanslow©, Max Turner, Charlie Beddis, Tom Rowe, Joe Hamlin, Danny Price, Aaron Esiri, Alex Nelmes. Replacements, James Lane, Zak Williams, Ben Large.
