Match Report for Lytchett Minster 1 Vs Stoneham on 09 Sep 2006
Lytchett Win Despite Numerical Disadvantage
This was an "interesting" game in more ways than one. To start with Lytchett turned up with only 12 players until the coach Stan Matthews, (and credit to him for this) decided to stand in at scrum half, but informed the team he wasn't going to tackle or be tackled, which made it about 12 and a half against 15!
Despite their numerical disadvantage the game started well for Lytchett with the forwards really getting stuck in from the off. Some good tactical kicking and impressive lineout work from the skipper Rob saw the visitors keep Stoneham pinned in their half for the first 10 minutes. Stoneham failed to control the ball properly at a scrum near their line and Scott Ricketts pounced for Lytchett to get the first score of the game.
This was followed up with 2 more scores by the visitors before the break, one from fly half Scott Ricketts after making an impressive break and one from the winger Nerijus ‘Red’ Baltrusis after some good work by the forwards. Near the end of the half however Stoneham used their numerical advantage to good effect with a blind side break from a scrum resulting in a try.
This meant that at the break Lytchett turned round 19 -7 up and with Stoneham having the wind in the second half things were going to be tight. Without the wind the visitors had to be prepared to run the ball more, which played into the opposition’s hands and their numerical advantage, began to tell. Despite this Lytchett continued to get stuck in and some impressive tackling by a number of players and poor handling by Stoneham meant the home team rarely looked like scoring.
Another excellent individual try by Scott Ricketts gave the Lytchett the points they needed to seal the win despite the coach doing his best to give the ball to the opposition with some interesting kicking and Flanker/ Centre Daryl Cormack doing some impressive work to avoid scoring under the posts! With the game drawing to the close Lytchett forwards started to dominate and another disrupted Stoneham scum close to their line resulting in their fly half getting the ball and the two Lytchett back row at the same time! This resulted in a try for new team member Dave Vallender.
Man of the Match went to Scott Ricketts but it possibly should have gone to Daryl Cormack who did a great job of flanking and play centre at the same time and looked very confused at scum time when both the backs and forwards were shouting at him to do different things at the same instant! All in all an impressive win and with the teamwork and work ethic getting better this team is starting to improve.
