Old Yardleians RFC: Club News
Fridge sent to the cooler
Wed, 03 Nov 2010 11:36
First xv
Some observers suggest that a good referee is hardly noticed. Well in my humble opinion this was not the case on saturday as an exchange ref, who was being officially observed by respected whistle-blower Mr Rees, seemed determined to be the focal point of the game. At some point there were more players in the bin than actually playing (or so it seemed) including young Peter the Fridge. Reason for the yellow cards was not very clear to spectators or players. As for refereeing the scrum, our usual dominance was neutralised by the man in the middle.
Having said all of that Upton were a very good side particularly in defending which they had much to do and did well. They also had a kicker who did his job in collecting points when they were available. As for the Ys we showed the usual strength in the pack with ex Lode Heath number 8 'The Barstool' fitting in nicely and the backs, although sound in defence, lacked cohesion in attack. As Denzil used to say (often) if you want to play a kicking game then you select the likes of Tom Power or Dave Adams but lads, you have got a potentially exciting set of backs with pace and skill so stop kicking possession away aimlessly.
Lecture over. We were worth at least a draw but naivity when in points scoring positions cost us dearly. It was good to see young Ben back in action and he kicked our 3 points. A converted try would have won us the game but although we hammered away at their line it was not to be. Final score was a 9-3 away victory.
Development xv
This team is performing above expectation week in week out. Considering how young most of the team is and that they are playing against a lot of experienced blokes on the way down from 1st team rugby then it becomes clear how well they have done. A scoreline of 25-37 to Upton sounds like a comfortable win for the visitors but in reality both teams scored 5 tries and the only difference was in the conversion success rate. Our tries came via the powerful 2nd row, Dave Langley (3), young Tom the scrum half and leading barman Luke.
Juniors
Well done the little ones for winning their opening match against Woodrush.
This coming sunday (7th Nov.) sees the older lads in action. Come and give them some support as they are the future of the club. The under 14s are at home to Aston Old Eds and the entertaining under 15s are away to Birmingham Exiles.
Vandals
Still on that winning streak with Old Salts on the wrong end of a 62-0 scoreline.
Despite the scoreline a very tough game against generally much younger opposition, who ran everything at every opportunity and never gave up, but "experience" triumphed.
Four tries in the first half, a brace for Cedric Farrell (and a yellow card) and one a piece for Lee Coates & Andy Killarney, with three conversions added by Coates.
Six more tries in the second half, two more for Lee Coates completing another hat trick, and one each for Nick Palmer, Phil Evans, Tony Fitzgerald & Simon Singleton, three of which were converted by Lee Coates bringing him a personal tally of 27 in the game.
Full match report below for those who like their reading
Saturday 30th October found us home again at Fort Tilehouse (you gotta love our fixture Secretary) for game ten v Old Salts, a side I'd heard whispers about that they were a pretty useful & young side, largely former colts that had all come up together, mixed with a few older heads.
With Dai retaining his position in the Development side on merit this meant an unchanged front row for the third consecutive week of Shannon Killarney, Steve Sidwell & Bill Burrows, with the Freds Andy Killarney & John Lonie providing the muscle in the second row. With Nick Levey struggling with an age related knee injury, this meant a start for Rupert Young on the blindside, with Marcus Hope at open and completing the back row Alistair Gouldbourn at No.8.
Out in the three quarters our Welsh sounding English half back pairing of Phil Evans & Gary Williams, a return for Nick Palmer at inside centre partnering Simon Singleton. On the wings Lee Coates & Cedric Farrell and tidying up the mess at the back Tony Fitzgerald. Again a small bench in Roger Lazenby, Sean Bean sorry Byrne, and the return of the Colt Arkell after a lengthy recuperation after his life threatening RTA. (you never know the insurance company might be watching)
Now matter how good you are it helps if you turn up with a full compliment, and with Salts turning up with just thirteen, thanks again to our specialist opposition guest player Rick Lowe for offering to prop for them.
A lady referee today in Mrs Carol Goldfinch, like buses obviously as her daughter was refereeing the Development side. Salts opting for tails never fails win the toss and opt to stay where they are and kick off.
They take a borderline sneaky quick kick off into midfield where it is taken by the blonde bombshell Barrel who bangs it back over their heads to their fullback who sends it back over the top where it is well fielded by Bob's mate just in front of our twenty two who feeds Coatesy who lights them up does a few ins & outs to score probably our fastest try of the season 5-0 Almost by default as he's closest Slow tells him to have a go at converting his own work and he doesn't disappoint as it sails over for a 7-0 lead.
The restart doesn't go ten but is fly hacked on by Salts, but it's back for scrum down to us on the centre spot, we split the line Barrel, Fitzy & Coatesy on one side Snapper & Cedric on the other with Smoking keeping them guessing by hiding behind the scrum. Good steady possession, Smokes looks to go right then Snapper comes left, takes the pass & breaks through the line waving the ball about in both hands, he improvises a pass to Coatesy who takes it on, and then passes to Shannon round about midfield who sends a long pass out to Cedric but Mrs Goldfinch adjudges it forward so scrum to Salts. Ball comes in and immediately we put them under pressure, their compact & bijoux No.8 picks up and the General mugs him from behind & Barrel steals the ball, sets off, knocks a few over before setting and we go right with Smoking who spins it out to Cedric but again it is ruled forward for another scrum to Salts.
This time they spin and the ball reaches their fly half who is immediately felled by Smoking, and again Barrel rips it free and finds Simon who's away with it and behind their defence, with Cedric in support, but Snapper cuts back inside and finally gets stopped, he pops it back, the Major scoops it, stands it up off the deck and finds Coatesy closing in on the line we drive it on, Sid pops it out the back door to Shannon, in comes the sidestep they all buy it and off he goes, gets held, ball to Coatesy to Snapper who is held up over the line. Attacking scrum to Yards five metres out, steady ball by our Eight, out it comes to Phil, to Smoking, dummy to Barrel, long pass out to Coatesy but in front and goes to ground, Lee hacks it out. Scrum to Salts about ten metres from their line.
The General is all over his man like a rash but he manages to set it and their pack gather round, and take it on close, Bilbo makes the first tackle with a little help from the Major, then their big young lad (making both of our Lukes look like Jason Statham) goes on a trundle, gets stopped by Ali G, they opt to spin but we concede a penalty for encroaching offside. They kick, Coatesy takes it, feeds Fitzy who passes to Rupe on midfield who takes it on, but loses it in contact on the ten, their scrum half takes it Andy K takes him, ball goes back and is kicked out but eagle eyed Mrs G spots that it was taken back into the twenty two first. So line out to us on the twenty two, the Major takes it at two, we set and drive on a yard before Phil spins to Smoking, Barrel comes in on the scissors and spills it. Advantage, Salts pick up Simon makes the tackle and their taller bigger lad takes it on and Andy K gets boshed by him, Bilbo binging him the rest of the way down, ball goes to their big youngun' again (see how we cater to the larger man in our shirts) he rumbles a yard or two forward, before it goes out to their fly half who knocks on, ref plays good advantage Barrel scoops it up finds Cedric who still has a bit of work to do to go over 12-0 Coatesy goes two for two 14-0.
Shannon takes the restart, pops it to Bilbo and we set, the General sends it out to Smoking he whips it back inside to the General, he goes in & out makes the break then looks for the blanket, the 677 duly oblige, Coatesy in at scrum half, spins it to Smoking out to Barrel who knocks on, scrum to Salts. No.8 picks up, gets scragged by Shark but manages to offload to his flanker who knocks it on in the tackle. Scrum Yards. No pressure, we go right to Smoking, Snapper makes a great one handed take at full stretch, does a number, comes inside finds the General just on the twenty two, he spins out of one, passes to Cedric and he goes over for his second 19-0 Lee pops it over for a healthy 21-0 lead.
You know who takes the restart, the Freds get to him first followed Shark, we take it on a yard before Phil spins it out to Smoking, to Barrel who fixes his man before passing to Simon who legs his, and he's away, finally getting caught on the Salts twenty two, but the ball goes forward, Mrs G plays good advantage and Salts try to run it out, but we tackle pinning them down before ball goes forward off a Vandal's hand. Scrum Salts ball comes out and it's a dreadful kick sideways and falls into the arms of Coatsey who drives it on, Barrel & Snapper beat our back row to the breakdown but it's a penalty to us for hands in. As usual only the two options and Smoking puts it into the corner for an attacking lineout, too much weight on the throw by Sid and it sails over the hands of Marcus but into Lonies instead, he pops it Phil he sends it out to Smoking and it's a lateral double dummy, but the final pass cannons off Cedric's chest up into the air and straight into the arms of Fitz, but we're not lucky twice and it's a scrum to Salts five metres inside their twenty two.
They retain their possession and try to run it out but drop the pill in the process...youngsters haven't they heard of pragmatism! Great attacking position for us midfield and we load the right hand side as Smokes pulls the strings, easy scrummage as our Eight contain theirs Phil sends it out, we run a triangle (I think) Simon cuts back through the wrong footed traffic, sells a dummy, gets stopped, Rupe's in there first he takes it on before passing to Bilbo who finds John. We drive it on but Salts come in offside, General takes it quickly, Coatesy's in off his wing, to Smoking who loses his footing and is swamped by amber & red, but we can still see the ball, but something's gone on on the far side and Cedric's in like a shot and drags one out & dumps him, no punches exchanged but Mrs Goldfinch thinks Ced's gone to way too much out of his way to meet out justice and it warrants a yellow card. (Captain's note: Groan!)
Penalty Salts and again they try to spin it out virtually on their own line, but the youngsters make something of it and break down the field before Coatesy tackles one and then another and the ball spills forward for a scrum to us just inside our twenty two. Steady scrum sees the ball find Smoking who spirals a great kick for touch. Lineout to Salts on the halfway line, but we win it, ball comes back to Sid, Sid to Phil and he puts one up and it comes down on the Salts twenty two and to their credit they try to run it out again, but we cover across, the ball finds their fleet footed young winger, who gets wrapped up about ten metres in from the touchline, we pile in and Barrel strips him of the ball, sees Andy K outside and with no winger at home Andy gallops the twenty or so metres to the line 26-0 Conversion just wide.
The restart doesn't make the ten so it's a scrum back on the halfway line, lots of options, Coatsey comes in off his wing takes the pass off Smoking, but again a difficult pass to Barrel goes to ground in what would have been the move of the half. At the scrum Phil has his man in all sorts of trouble, whips the ball off him to Shark who sells one, pops it back but we all overrun it except for Salts, who pick it up and take it on, Sid & Bilbo get beaten for pace and it's Fitz who puts in a cruncher to snuff out the move and it's a Brucie bonus as it goes forward in the tackle. Scrum Yards just past our ten metre line, looks like foot up as ball comes out of the tunnel, but we get another go, and another, no problems this time as Ali G picks up from the base and makes short yardage before the ball squirts out into touch.
We concede a penalty at the lineout, they take it quickly (and no where near the mark incidentally), Mrs G brings them back, we get a chance to fall back the ten, and they go again through their pocket battleship of a No.8 he gets held up and the maul forms and it's the Major who rips it out through the back door this time, passes it to Smoking who bangs it downfield, the Salts fullback takes it on the halfway line and we all come up, and Barrel & Snapper both put in tackles showing great midfield defence but Mrs G deems the last knock on rather harshly came off Barrel.
Scrum to Salts, midfield and we split the line, but again the General is on his man followed by the Shark, who is pinged for playing off the floor. Again they take it quickly Bilbo makes the first tackle, John the next, still they come, their big tall one first then Rick gets a go, and the ref awards another penalty, and off they go again, but Lee has this one followed by Shark, and Coatesy emerges with the ball, feeds Phil, to Smoking, little show of the ball, passes to Barrel who puts in a grub hunter up to the twenty two. They try to run it again Smokes & Snapper track their men but it's Lonie who makes the tackle, Rupert's straight in there secures the ball and stands it up, Snapper's in like a good flanker (pity he's playing centre) and we recycle to Sid to Andy to Coatesy who's pass to Shannon is given forward, with the line at his Murphy. The resulting scrum between the ten & twenty two gives us a chance to put Cedric back on still muttering under his breath like Muttley at his card and women being in charge of men full stop.
Ball comes out to their slight winger he pops it up Tony takes it with ease on the ten, gets hit goes to ground, somebody makes like Brunel and we get done for bridging. They take it quickly, spin it out and we're carved open through the middle, before Bilbo in the right place (ok he was probably coming back from the last place) makes the tackle and it goes forward for a scrummage to Yards....and we LOSE it, the No.8 (I was going to put Graf Spee there but thought it might have been too oblique) picks it up and the General drags him down, Alistair's onto it, then the Major and Marcus (that'd be our back row then) spins it out to Smoking who puts a long clearance in left, their little winger catches brings it on evades Gary's immediate attention before running into the rest of the 677 and spills the ball forward, and has a long lie down having had the misfortune of colliding with Killarney the younger. As a result Mrs G decides to bring the half to a close.
Halftime 26-0. Lonie dishes out his instructions. Shannon comes off Roger comes on at loosehead, no respite for their man then!
Good high restart by Smoking, and Salts big units take it on a yard or two before spinning it, Smokes makes the first tackle of the half, then Andy K who drives the ball carrier backwards, he offloads, but Shark takes the next one and we steal it and the General goes blind, Coatesy's with him, he light's them up, does a step, gets stopped but keeps the legs pumping, half breaks and passes inside to Phil to Snapper who gets clothes lined and ball goes to ground, Salts take it on but the 677 arrive in numbers and pinch it back, comes back to the General out to Smoking, who thinking (I presume) the whistle's gone stands still, as does everyone else before setting off, gets held, goes down the Major's first to it, Phil spins it out to Coatesy, to Barrel who chips over and Cedric gives chase. A Salts player fields it, evades Cedric but only to get clattered by Ali G and Snapper takes the ball off the tackled player but the ref has seen a knock on and it's a scrum to Yards on their twenty two.
Steady ball Alistair picks & goes gives a big hand off and keeps the legs driving but the ball gets knocked forward off the Salts No.8 hand (who looks half Al's height) for another scrum to us. Same again, same place, same result Al picks & goes, same hand off even, he gets held up on the line but offloads to the General who goes over 31-0 Converted by Coatsey 33-0
The restart doesn't go ten, so scrum back in the middle, General takes it blind (in the middle which side's that then!!?) finds Barrel who pops it to Coatesy who simply gasses the defence to score 38-0 and then converts 40-0
Coatesy takes the restart passes to Smoking great pass out to Snapper who sees the gap and goes, gets held and the support arrives, Andy K clears them out, Phil passes to Marcus he sees a gap, goes through offloads to Alistair he gets stopped on the twenty two and he's dispossessed, ball goes forward and Lonie jumps on it but it's a scrum to Salts just inside their twenty two. Ball comes back and the Major's seen it loose, picks it up and the rest of forwards drive him on but Mrs G's thinks she's seen an offside, penalty to Salts
They run it, moreorless straight into big Roger who strips them of the ball, goes out, Smoking chips ahead but whistle goes as Mrs G says Ced was in front of the ball when it was kicked. Still just in front of their twenty two they run it again, Shark brings the ball carrier down, and we drive over it and win a penalty five metres outside the twenty two. Smokes tells Phillip no and takes possession of the ball off the General and he kicks into the corner for an attacking lineout ten metres from their line. Sid finds Marcus and Phil takes it off the top, double dummy to Fitz in the line to Coatesy, he's held but we drive him on another five, ball comes out Phil pops it to Lonie, who takes it into contact and knocks a few over, it looks like we've lost it but Snapper pinches it back, whistle goes for a scrum, their biggest man decides he wants to date Simon or some such, but Roger saves his blushes and the Salts player decides he doesn't want to play with someone his own size and backs off.
Scrum to Yards five or so metres out from the Salts line, Alistair picks up looks to go, pops it up to Phil, dummy scissors by Smoking on Barrel (again) goes on his own, Fitz is in the line takes the pass and is driven over by his mates for a well worked try 45-0 Conversion missed, and a little bit of niggle starts to creep into the game with some mouth coming from behind the amber & red line.
John takes the restart and gets tackled for his troubles, Rupe's the first man to him, we set, ball comes out to Sid who passes to Coatesy who bangs it over the top, their wing picks it up, evades the chasing Coatesy the first time, but not the second, but ref thinks that's high as does the Salts bottle man who starts going ballistic on the touchline. They're only kids he says, Slow replies no they're Thirds, you send a Third team you get to play one or some such nonsense. Anyway penalty to Salts, and the next tackle comes in across the chest and he's off ranting again. Ball goes forward scrum to Yards just outside our twenty two.
Alistair comes off, the Colt Arkell comes on in the impact role. Ball pops out but it's taken back in (was that the hand of God, more likely the Major, shades of Neil Back there) and we have another go, a lot steadier this time, ball comes out we put a low trajectory kick through, their winger or fullback takes it cuts inside Smokes but gets caught by Rog, we pile in look to have stripped it but ref gives a penalty against. Guess what they take it quickly, their big lads take it on even our Rick has a go, they get held up just short of our line and the green blanket descends, their flanker comes in from the side, gets pinged and Smokes gets to clear our lines, ball going out on our twenty two.
Sid fluffs his lines, the ball going to their tall lad, who gets a cuddle off John but they still get it away and spin it wide they cross out twenty two Snapper gets his man and Barrel strips the ball, passes to Smoking who steps his man and gets away, looks inside for support, finds Phil, who passes to Rupert, who takes it on a few, back to Phil, to Lonie, to Sid, Snapper takes it, passes it to Marcus we're on their twenty two. Marcus tries to set and over the top they come, penalty yards. Smoking puts it into the corner.
Sid wangs it in and hits Marcus at four, down he comes Bilbo takes the ball and Phil talks the pack forward and then we spin, and Smokes has been setting the Salts defence up all game and finally gives it Barrel on the scissors and he carves his way through to score a great one 50-0 Coatesy converts his sixth 52-0.
A long restart finds Barrel who spins it to Cedric who catches it around his laces, and Rick shortly after, we set and drive it on, spin Phil to Smoking to Simon to Arks, whistle goes, didn't see it but penalty to us, and sufficient to warrant a talking to. Cedric makes way for Sean. Kick doesn't find touch, and gets brought back by their young scrum half he eludes Sean's attentions but not the General's, they recycle going route one with their big lads but we turn it over again, Rupert finds Barrel, inside to Simon who skips inside evading tacklers but generally going backwards, passes to Marcus, takes it on offloads to Arks...bish bash bosh, Smokes gets it looking for support, finds the 677 en masse, Lonie takes it on (these isotonics really work don't they) spins it to the Major to Coatesy, blind pass to Snapper and he goes over in the corner 57-0 Conversion missed, ten minutes to go.
Restart doesn't make ten so it's a scrum to us on the halfway line, we split the line, ball comes out, Phil to Barrel, back inside to Phil who puts it up and it goes out on the halfway line. Lineout to Salts, ball comes in Marcus takes & even has time to say "thank you". Slow cracks up. We drive it on past their ten, Roger's in the van with the ball, we keep going, ball's in Ark's hands now and we're almost up to the twenty two before Salts concede the penalty. Smoking aims for the corner, to me it looks like the winger bats it into his own dead ball area and then dots it down, but gets away with it and it's a twenty two drop out, which they take quickly and short, it just evades Smoking and Salts scoop it up, but Lee's in off his wing and holds up the ball carrier, we strip it, Phil ships it out to Smoking but the pass goes to ground, and Rick gets it and Arkell gets Rick and Bilbo gets Rick. And it's a scrummage to Salts between the ten and twenty two, the No.8 goes, the General cunningly falls over and the No.8 falls over him but manages to get the ball out to his winger, but Arkell gets him, and Lee joins in and drive him backwards and the ball goes to ground, and Lonie kicks it free and it goes out but the ref goes back for a scrum to Salts.
Great drive but it's a bit of a binding offence, Salts get the penalty and guess what, yes take it quickly and Lonie takes the big runner, they recycle, looks like a knock on but get away with it, Sid makes a great tackle, and it's a scrum to Yards on the ten metre line. Phil spins it out, Smokes takes it round the back, dummies Barrel, passes to Snapper, Tony Fitz in the line, but Snapper goes behind him, looks like crossing but we get away with it as Salts have come offside.
Smoking puts it out on the Salts twenty two. Sid throws, ball reaches Alistair he taps it down, the General sees a way through but ends up burrowing his way through, he lays it back, Arkell picks it up bish bash, takes it on a yard or two, passes to Phil, to Rupert he takes it into contact, Phil spins again to Smoking, dummies, Fitz is in, to Snapper to Coatesy who goes over 62-0
Ref blows for time, a good young team is given a lesson by a good old one! Moral of the story, you don't have to take every bloody penalty quickly!
Final score 62-0, Final age 652
Our tenth win on the bounce, 510 points amassed, 85 tries scored, 41 converted and that one bloody penalty!!
Next week Aston Old Eds away at Perry Common.
Thanks to Rob Bastock for providing a nice bottle of 2008 Vino Collapso in the changing room despite me getting his try completely wrong in last week's write up.
A bit of advance warning I will be away the following week (13th) in Edinburgh, so may even go watch the Sweatties get tonked by the All Blacks. So I will be looking for volunteers to look after the first aid kit, match balls, water bottles & playing shirts. At the moment it is a home game against Harborne, I will do all the usual selection nonsense beforehand, all you've got to do is win & let me know so I can have a happy birthday!
Also 24th November is our Wednesday night special under floodlights at Kings Norton, please keep this night clear in your diaries.
Slow.