Match Report Scunthorpe v Alnwick 17.02.24.
On a calm and bright afternoon the Northumberland side kicked off to a Scunthorpe team that, for the first time in an age, had won their last two games on the trot. The confidence this has given them was soon in evidence as they swept into attack and in a few minutes forced a penalty followed by a catch and drive to within striking distance of the Alnwick tryline that enabled Josh Lugsden to cruise over for the first try. Five minutes later and another forward drive saw Jack Brunt add a second touch down. Although neither was converted it looked like more were to follow as the Alnwick side seemed unable to get a foothold in the game. The Greens helped them to do just that. They kicked away possession and the visitors used it to launch their first serious attacks. A powerful break by centre Alex Robson left several would be tacklers in his wake in a move completed by a converted Alnwick try scored by number eight Charlie Farmer. With Rory Rendal-Tyrell out of the game with an ankle injury could the game be swinging in favour of Alnwick? It was not. The visitors now made the mistake of kicking away possession and the Greens countered with a move that ended with Josh Lugsden using his electrifying pace to score his second try which Will Robinson converted. Although the Northumberland side added a penalty by stand off Evan Moir, a storming Greens attack sucked in the visitors’ defence and a superb long pass by centre Will Robinson enabled right winger Liam Brunt to sprint over in the corner unopposed. To continue the tit for tat Alnwick used a penalty to set up a strong catch and drive from which their number eight Charlie farmer spun off to crash over for their second try. Scunthorpe came back to complete the first half scoring with another sustained move that ended with scrum half Joey Mowbrey darting through a gap beside a ruck to score a try converted by Will Robinson. This gave a half time score of 29-15
As the second half got underway both sides tried to play open attacking rugby but errors spoilt promising moves. It took fifteen minutes for the first score to arrive. After some wild back and forth a Greens’ kick through rebounded off a defender and Josh Lugsden’s pace enabled him to collect the ball and race over for his hat trick try; converted by Will Robinson.
The half continued with defences able to cope with attacks that looked promising but seemed to fall victim of simple errors. Frustration boiled over twenty five minutes into the half when the visitors blocked the Greens from taking a quick tap penalty. This produced a confrontation with players pushing and pulling. Fortunately the referee calmed things down without the use of his cards. Strangely, he restarted with a penalty against Scunthorpe. The home side produced the final score of the game when their sustained pressure forced their opponents back and a turnover by Gareth Mist, following a chaotic line out, resulted in stand if Ethan Taylor, with a well timed pass, enabling eighteen year old Jack Murr to swerve through a gap to score his first regional one try. Will Robinson converted to make the final score 43-15.
The Greens are now seeing the benefits of their hard work that has seem a great improvement in the team’s performance. The most exciting thing is that there is the potential, in this young side, to go much further.
We must wait two weeks for the next game, away at struggling Pontefract. Hopefully we can keep up the good work and go for four wins in a row and a division placing well above the relegation zone.