11/05/08
Derbyshire 2nd XV Cup Final
Ashbourne RFC 5
Matlock RFC 30
Matlock's second fifteen won their respective Derbyshire Cup for the first time
since the 1993/94 season last Sunday, with a solid performance over a willing
Ashbourne side.
It was a fair reflection on an encouraging season for the Dales side and a
reward for their excellent victory over a much-heralded Derby team in the
semi-final, which Matlock quite rightly did not let become the pinnacle of their
season.
Matlock should really have taken the lead direct from the kick-off, but Nick
Newberry was stopped inches short and apart from this early bright spot,
Matlock's play in the first quarter was rather ragged and error-strewn.
Although dominant in both possession and territory, big-match anxiety seemed to
be getting the better of them.
Shortly however, following James Young's excellent break down the blind-side of
a scrum, full-back Tom Hooton was on hand to touch down for the first try of the
match to settle Matlock's nerves.
David Goodall converted and as the half wore on, added two further penalty goals
to stretch Matlock's lead to thirteen points at the break, with no sign of any
real resistance from a subdued Ashbourne side.
Nevertheless, Matlock were far from home and dry and with no real margin for
error, relaxed and proceeded to hand the initiative back to their opponents.
Firstly, Matlock twice failed to deal properly with a bouncing ball, which
Ashbourne collected and recycled for their centre to touch down out wide to
close the gap to eight points, 13 - 5.
Then, after another break, Ashbourne were denied a second score when the referee
harshly awarded a forward pass with the line at their mercy.
Further errors allowed Ashbourne to spend lengthy spells camped deep within
Matlock territory during the third quarter of the match, but no further reward
followed, and Matlock got a second wind as the game entered the final twenty
minutes.
Excellent tactical kicking from Matlock put them into the right areas of the
park and relieved the pressure on their stretched defence.
Eventually, following another effective rolling maul inside their opponents'
twenty-two, the ball was recycled for David Hart to force his way over for a
decisive try. Goodall again converted.
Ashbourne tried hard to get back into the match, but the pressure mounted and
they soon conceded another Goodall penalty to put the game out of reach at 23 -
5.
Late on, when trying to run the ball from deep inside their own half, a loose
Ashbourne pass was pounced upon by Nick Newberry with a trademark interception
near to the posts, which made Goodall's final conversion a formality.
With little time left, Ashbourne were left dejected, as Matlock sensibly
controlled the ball to run down the clock and take a thoroughly well-deserved
Cup Final victory by 30 points to 5.
Matlock team:
T Hooton; R Lund, N Newberry, J Sharp, D Goodall; D Hart, J Young; P Gailey, R
Carnell, J Hotchin; M Hughes, A Twyford; J Cooper, J Wagg, P Lane.
Replacements:
S Greer, A Statham, P Emerson, D Tate, T Taylor, A Gibbs.
29/09/07
Sleaford 2nd xv 13
Matlock 2nd xv 50
A superb away day for the 2nds, which made amends for the previous away game.
Within 5 minutes into the game Neville glided his way though the Sleaford
defence after superb inter changing work between Morton and Young. Young
converted the extra points. After a dodgy restart Matlock became inconstant in
the securing of the ball and Sleaford was awarded a penalty and dually added the
points from the kick. This then made the Matlock forwards pull their socks up
and with the extra work ensured an opening for Hart to go over. Young added the
extras. Matlock then began to move the ball nicely with good strong crashing
forward play but Sleaford managed to disrupt play and punted the ball into the
matlock, 22. From the resulting line out the Sleaford forwards stole the line
out and swatted Lund out the way to crash over in the corner. At this point the
score was 8-14, which showed matlock that this team was here to play rugby. From
the restart Gibbs caught the ball and then started a hard battle within the
centre of the pitch after a few minutes matlock secured the ball for Bance to
kick the ball which scatted the Sleaford winger and place sleaford on there own
5 metre line for the line out. From the Resulting line out Twyford stole the
ball for the matlock forwards to drive on towards the line, and Evans drove over
for the try. Young Converted. Again Sleaford failed to lie down and scored a
try. With 5 minutes before half time Emerson crashed over with a carbon copy of
the Evans try.
With the halftime score at 13-26 matlock had the advantage of the wind in the
second half this help within minutes off the restart with Bance going over for
the try, which Neville converted. With the second half only 5 minutes old, Gibbs
suffered a head injury and forced Matlock to make a change with Captain Matt
Hughes coming on for his first game of the season after knee surgery. With the
help of Mother Nature Twyford and Taylor began to make some breaks with horrible
defending Sleaford Ensured a gap was formed with Gunter breaking down the wing
and passing inside for Hart to score. For the rest off the half Sleaford looked
as if there fitness was going to be their downfall with sloppy play in the
sleaford backs and the shear force of Greers animal tackling forced the ball
back into Matlock’s hands and Neville cut his way though for his second try.
Neville would continue in his solid play to round off his hat-trick with support
play from Boulton and Davis.
