Sefton RUFC

Sat 7 Oct 2023

Prenton 2nd XV

22 - 67

Sefton 2nd XV

Prenton 2nd XV

Sefton 2nd XV

A rearranged game against Prenton was this week’s fixture, with Sefton still having flashbacks about the 100 plus points they put on our third team last season.

Sadly, our captain James sHambling was unable to lead his team this week due to a COVID infection, we would therefore have to find someone else to blindly fumble us through this game. Luckily, Captain of Vice, Matty Cunningham was available, and stepped in to fill the role.

A strong squad was available, which is generally achievable when the first team aren't bleeding you dry through the week. It does worry you though when the centres are comparing injuries, and trying to decide who will coming off early.

- The game -

A strong pack is always standard with Sefton, but this week they were backed up with a capable back line. Linked together by Gorgeous at scrum half, provided he doesn't fall apart. We remove him from his bubble wrap, cross our fingers and hold our breath.

An early score for Sefton sets their stall out, with some strong runs pushing Prenton back onto their try line, and it is Tom Founds who breaks through to score the first try.

- We've all done it -

Rob Norwood was overjoyed when he went over for a try, only to find out that it was actually the five metre line. The cheers went mute, and replaced by shame and embarrassment, I pretended not to notice,  but made a mental note.

Sefton didn’t have to wait long though, with Faris Ejimofor bounding over for a try, with bits of defenders left in his wake.

As for which centre was going to limp off early, it was JJ that won that battle, and retired with a hamstring injury ten minutes into the game.

Prenton hit back with a cheeky little kick over into a gulf of space at the back, due to the backs all being up in attack. With no one covering, it was a race for the ball. Tom James in an attempt to stop their runner, tackled him without the ball, and the ref rightly awards Prenton a penalty try.

A penalty minutes later by Prenton, levelled the scores.

Rob Norwood reprieve himself, by finally locating the correct line to score a try, before JP takes advantage of Sefton’s dominance in the scrums, by picking the ball up at the back, and going over in the corner to give Sefton a twelve point lead at half time.

In the second-half the game had to go to uncontested scrums with the opposition running out of willing volunteers to go into the front row. Our front row tried to minimise the damage, but it was an inevitable outcome, and admirable that they lasted that long. Prenton managed to claw a try back, but this was as good as it got for them after that.

First, a devastating try by Faris Ejimofor, as he again looked to run at the defenders, rather than seek the gaps. Two tries for Ali McKie through the centres, and a hat trick of tries for Gorgeous, using his quick feet to step through after taking some quick tap penalties. The usual crash ball try from Matty Cunningham, and a try round the outside for Isaac Lancaster, completed the job.

 Prenton did pull a try back at the end, with another sumptuous kick over the top, and a bit of confusion from Isaac Lancaster as to where his try line was, (another person confused about the five metre line), however, by then the game had run away from them, and it was just a consolation try.

- Kicking Update -

For once, this isn’t about Jay Evan’s, who has finally adhered to the second teams way of thinking, and stopped his kicking fetish.

My attention this week focused on Gorgeous, and despite his quick thinking to create his incredible hat trick of tries, he wasn’t so hot on his conversion attempts. Only converting 3 kicks out of the 12 tries scored by Sefton, despite most of them being close to the posts. Maybe he was worried about the jug he would have to buy for his hat-trick of tries.

- Speaking of which -

There was a few attempts at jug evasion mainly in the backs. Ali McKie, categorically comes out in an allergic reaction just by standing in the proximity of any bar, thus stopped at two tries. Faris Ejimofor, could have easily had three or four tries, if only he didn't like running into defenders. After bouncing off one defender, he would purposely seek another defender to run into, thus reducing his chances of scoring more tries.

However, by far the biggest avoidance came from Rob Norwood, not only did he ground the ball five metres short of the line to avoid scoring a try, he also spills a ball just short of the try line, right at the end of the game. Therefore missing two potential tries, and avoiding any obligation to buy a jug, scandalous.

This week’s captain was more decisive about ‘Man of the Match’, which had a few contenders. Gorgeous was electric, around the breakdown, but his kicking wasn’t to par this week, he will be wrapped up, and placed in his polystyrene box until next week. JP also had a formidable game, as did Rob Norwood, if only he could find the try line. This week’s ‘Man of the Match’ though, went to Faris Ejimofor, I suspect it won’t be long till the first team get their Greecy hands on him, as that glorious French man once said, ‘the seagulls will follow the trawler’.

Off now to educate Rob, and Isaac on the difference between a five metre line, and a try line, wish me luck.

Yours, Lanky.