Sefton RUFC

Sat 4 Dec 2021

West Park (St Helens) 2nd XV

38 - 15

Sefton 2nd XV

West Park (St Helens) 2nd XV

Sefton 2nd XV

Michael Carruthers return was greeted with enthusiasm, however he admitted his fitness was not the best at the moment, and he would be lucky to last ten minutes. How wrong he was.

It wasn’t a day for the weak, with cold, drenching rain, with only the committed showing they had mettle. The lone supporter, Jonathan Tebbs, who was in his wellies, looking like he had wondered away from his shooting party, was the only witness to this band of warriors. They faced a West Park side who’s first team didn’t have a game, and with only a minimum amount of players available, Sefton were happy to have a few West Park third teamers to bolster the numbers. These third teamers were happy to tell us how big the centres are that we’re about to face.

Sefton started positively, with the forwards dominant in the set pieces they were able to push West Park back into their half, allowing Steve Johnston plenty of ball in the centres. Carruthers also got off to a flying start, harassing their scrum half, and causing the opposition problems in defence. A break by Carruthers saw him through a gap, but the covering defence takes him down. This was his last action as he hobbled off after a glorious nine minutes.

Still Sefton pressed, creating an overlap on the blind side, were little Lanky (now bigger than big Lanky) went over in the corner for a try. However, more importantly, the ball was supplied by a superbly timed pass by Lanky senior, who placed it on a silver platter, with red bow on it, allowing his young protégé an easy run into the corner.

--- Kicking Update ---

Gorgeous should know better, but I think all scrum-halves are bit narcissistic, often thinking about themselves and their own importance. A howling wind, and he was trying to stretch out the distance of his kicks into the corner, so we can tell him how brilliant he was. These huge kicks drifted back infield, and were collected by West Park’s full back. That however wasn’t the worse of it, shortly after, he was clean through the defensive line with only the full back to beat. Rather than taking him on, the overconfident scrum-half attempted to chip the ball over his head. The ball hits the defender and bounces up into his hands, and he races off down the pitch.

West Park pulled a try back against the run of play, but the next twenty minutes was a war of attrition, with neither side able to break the dead lock. Sefton were pushing the opposition all over the pitch in the scrums, but West Park had some strong runners out wide. With this Sefton were pulled in defensively a number of times, which left huge gaps out wide. Due to this, West Park managed to sneak over for two quick tries in the closing minutes of the half.

Half time came just as a torrential downpour started, so the short team talk was spent undercover of the stand. As the rain abated, play resumed, with Sefton starting the second half as in the first, dominating possession, and pinning the opposition down in their own half. Jack Crone, Matthew Faulkner and JP Ellis constantly battered the gain line, and this was backed up by Seb Caine and Dan Drakeley who harassed, and harried West Park at every opportunity, running some great support lines, and cleaning up any loose ball.

A penalty was kicked deep into the corner, and from the lineout Christian Caine collected the ball in the air and was surprised to find no opposition resistance as he landed. Practically taking two steps, and able to stumble over the try line. Pete Johnson’s over enthusiastic celebration obviously blinded the ref to the slight fumble that happened as he put the ball down, giving the dodgy try on merit.

--- Ten minute break for the backs ---

With a clear dominance in the scrums, when a penalty was awarded on the oppositions five metre line the scrum was called. However, this took several attempts to get it right. Falling short of the line twice, and also sent out to the backs too early. On the fourth attempt the ball went out again, but this time Ali Telfer switched the play to the blind side and was able to go over in the corner, leaving West Park with a four point lead. Though the forwards were nicely warmed up from all the pushing, the backs were less happy, left to watch in the freezing rain.

--- Pecking Order ---

With SHambling going off with an injury, a sub was needed as we looked to the side-line for one of the two young wingers Isaac Lancaster and Dylan Currie to come back on. Isaac using his seniority, bullies the now frozen Dylan to get out onto the pitch, whilst he stayed dry in the stand.

In the last ten minutes Sefton finally ran out of energy, and with West Park able to put fresh legs on, the defensive line finally broke, allowing them to score three quick tries in succession. Two grateful teams were glad to hear the final whistle, and a quick tunnel was formed, so they could rush back to the warmth of the changing rooms.

It was a great performance from the committed, plenty of running from Johnston, Ellis, Faulkner, and Crone. A energetic Seb Caine was everywhere, and a broken Carruthers was disappointing, but for his nine minute cameo. However, for his all-round performance Dan Drakeley was awarded Man of the Match.

Lanky