SCUNTHORPE 22 CLECKHEATON 26
Scunthorpe Rugby Club has a reputation for the best hospitality in the whole of the North and Midlands. However, this extended beyond the acceptable when the Greens gifted Cleckheaton two tries which, in the end, was the difference between the two sides.
It was a lovely day at Heslam Park as the season kicked off once again. Scunthorpe were starting life in a completely new league, Regional North East 1, albeit at the same level. It was also a memorable day as the 1sts started their campaign without the legend that is Tom Foster. The last time this happened half of the team weren’t even born and since then we have had 5 Prime Ministers!
The game started as you might expect with the two teams trying to sus each other out. The Greens began to get the upper edge as they probed the corner with a well taken penalty from Josh Clarke. From the resulting line out Scunthorpe drove on, some solid Yorkshire defence kept them out. Five minutes later Scunthorpe were on the offensive and Cleckheaton committed a penalty which Josh Clarke duly slotted over. 5-0. From the resulting kick-off the Cleckheaton fly half Dale Breakwell took a high drop kick. The Green players all looked at each other with no one taking responsibility Cleckheaton’s scrum half Olly Depledge raced through, collected the ball and raced all the way, unopposed, to the posts to score a gifted try, Breakwell converted, 5-7. The Greens were stunned by this and seemed to lose confidence. Five minutes later they gave away two kickable penalties and were 3-13 down. Tim Robinson’s men then began to build again the forwards earning some good ball for the exciting backs to use. Tactically Scunthorpe had the edge in the ‘threes’ but could they make the best use of this? From another penalty Josh Clarke put them back into the ‘Cleck’ 22. The line out went well, and the pack drove on. Once again Cleckheaton could only stop the Greens by fouling. Clarke kicked the penalty, 6-13. Another Clarke penalty made it 9-13. Scunthorpe came again and were on a roll, yet again earning another penalty. Josh Clarke set the ball on the tee, as he ran up the ball fell off. The ref indicated he had no time to re-set, so the quick-thinking Clarke scooped up the ball and drop kicked it through the posts for the three points. Scunthorpe were now within one point. Unfortunately, this didn’t last long as further indiscipline allowed the visitors to close the half with two more Breakwell penalties. However, at 12-19 Scunthorpe were still in the game and had the fire power to go on and win.
The second half started with both sides evenly matched and it wasn’t until the 53rd minute that the scoreboard moved on. From a Cleckheaton penalty Joey Mowbray (replacing the injured Josh Bird) took a quick tap and the ball went through several hands before Josh Clarke slipped it to Josh Lugsden who stretched over for the 5 points. Clarke missed the conversion. 17-19. As the visitors began to tire this tactic looked as though it could reap rewards. Cleck came back and pressed the home side’s line, resolute defence and a penalty to Scunthorpe saw off the attack. Then came the second gift of the game from a well-set scrum in their own 22 Ben Hyde broke and fed Josh Clarke. However, the ball was spilled and Cleckheaton wing man James Wilson accepted the present and went in under the posts, Breakwell converted. 17-26. The good news- there was still plenty of the time on the clock for Scunthorpe to come back. On 75 minutes Colin Chapman scored in the corner. It came from another penalty/line-out, the ball moved slickly through the backs. Although Chapman was only a few yards out he had a lot to do to twist and turn to get the ball down. Clarke missed the conversion, but the Greens were within one try and fired up. They couldn’t quite make use of the momentum and the game fizzled out with Cleckheaton claiming the honours.
With at least 13 players that have come though the Youth Section there was plenty to be cheerful about as Scunthorpe will work on their mistakes and build towards next week’s visit to local rivals Doncaster Phoenix.
