Burley 24 - 14 Old Grovians
T: Naylor, Christie, Robinson, Penalty.
Conv. Naylor 2
5th September 2009
On an overcast early September afternoon Burley entertained Old Grovians for the first game of the 2009/10 campaign, the Grovians team making the short trip from Apperley Bridge for the first meeting of the two clubs. As kick-off time approached the Burley crowd gathered full of expectation, with maroon men having enjoyed record numbers at training through the summer months and a new style of play promised from new player-coach Mark Walton. With Burley playing down the fabled Abbey Road hill in the first half the referee blew for the start, the ball was kicked and another season of rugby was underway.
Old Grovians received the ball and, as was to be the form for the whole afternoon, were poor underneath it, giving the fast advancing Burley pack early possession and pressure, with Henry Bisson, Tom Barnes and Richie Christie causing chaos in the Old Grovians ranks. Despite the early advantages the initial 10 minutes of the game, while played in Grovians territory, were scrappy with promising moves by the Burley team snuffed out through handling errors or wrong options. Despite this the Burley pack enjoyed a growing dominance in both the lineout and, more obviously, the scrum, where an inexperienced Grovian man struggled all day against more experienced opposition. As the half wore on the Burley team, with the backs now beginning to fire also, started to put real pressure on the Grovians line. It was only a matter of time before the Burley flanker, Richie Christie was driven over the line by the pack for the first try, which was converted by Chris Naylor on his league debut.
Whilst the game remained scrappy throughout the first half Burley did dominate, with the pack going well, but a number of promising opportunities for points were squandered through handling errors and poor decisions. Eventually though the breakthrough was made as Naylor scored his first try for the club after good work from both the forwards and backs, with special mention going to Dan Pearson who took the ball on and recycled well under pressure for Naylor to ghost over. Unfortunately the try was scored nearer the touchline than he would like and he failed to convert.
As half time approached the Burley team looked full of confidence and were thinking of pushing for a third and decisive try when the Grovians team came alive and, through a series of drives, made space to release their winger up the right wing who cruised over for a try under the posts, with a spirited but ultimately futile chase from captain James Griffin. At half time two changes were made with James Palfrey Smith replacing the veteran Paul Pinder at No. 8 and Andrew Clayton replacing Steve Howarth at No. 3, both players having given good account of themselves through the first half.
As the second half kicked off the Burley pack piled pressure on their Grovians counterparts again but penalties and errors saw a scrappy stop-start element to the game creep in.
Through the half the Grovians team grew in confidence and began to compete more effectively, bringing their fast back 3 into play whenever possible, causing problems for the Burley defenders all afternoon. Despite this the Burley pack, still enjoying a level of dominance in the set piece and contact area, continued to pressure and, when Richard Schmitt popped up with ball in hand and made an excellent break up the left hand side a try looked certain. Schmitt drew his man and gave the ball to flying winger Marcus Peel who was only stopped with a head-high tackle, the referee calling for a penalty try which was again converted by Naylor.
At this stage Neil Robinson replaced Pearson on the wing, the player having a good game in his league return after serious injury in 2008/09. As the half wore on the Grovians confidence continued to grow as they threw everything at the Burley outfit, the fly half intelligently using the hill and fast back line to full advantage with intelligent use of the ball from hand and foot. Burley defended well though and the visitors rarely threatended the try line.
A fourth Burley try was added after the forwards drove the ball back up into the visitors half with good work at the line-out and breakdown. The ball was picked up in the Grovians 22 by Andrew Bisset who set off on a trademark mazy run and, having beaten the majority of the visitors defenders, released Neil Robinson to score in the corner. The winger could not convert his own try. At this stage Grovians, realising the win was unlikely, started to play a brand of open rugby which delivered more success and for the final stages of the game the home team were again under pressure. Eventually the visitors scored a well-worked try from their back line, a try, it has to be said, they deserved. Overall Burley can be satisfied with the win and a positive start to the league campaign but the nature of the win does show there is work to be done. The team travel to Ossett on Saturday for the second league match of the season and, with the Wakefield outfit narrowly losing to Leeds Corinthians this week, it will be another hard game, one for which we cannot afford over-confidence or complacency.
The man of the match was Richard Schmidt.
Jamie Ferguson
Burley vs Old Grovians:
1-A.Wider, 2-T.Barnes, 3-Steve Howarth, 4-J.Griffin (capt.), 5-R.Schmidt, 6-R.Christie, 7-H.Bisson, 8-P.Pinder, 9-M.Walton, 10-G.Binder, 11-D.Pearson, 12-C.Carnochan, 13-A.Bissett, 14-M.Peel, 15-C.Naylor. SUBS: A.Clayton, N.Robinson, J.Palfrey-Smith.