Match Reports

Willenhall U15s 24 v 5 Longton U 15s

Longton Under 15s travelled to Willenhall Under 15s to face a team that had beaten them 0-66 last season.  But Longton were bouyed with confidence from some excellent performances during 2009-10.  Longton might have at least matched the South Staffs side, but for a couple of missed tackles and some questionable decisions by the novice referee, one of which gave the hosts a try at a key point in the match.

Longton started strongly and took the game to Willenhall. The front-row of Potsie, Nathan and Ryan supported by Ryan and Grant in the 2nd row engine room totally out-scrummaged their larger opponents winning all their own scrums and stealing some from Willenhall.  This was great reward for all the hard work that the lads have been putting in on the scrummage machine on cold, dark Wednesday nights at Trentham Fields.  It was a tight-five performance that had Coach Wilsh salivating and dancing for joy on the touchline!!

This initial forward domination was a real shock for Willenhall who must surely have expected another rout. 

Longton's reward came after 10 minutes when a scrummage on the Willenhall 10 meter line saw Captain Dale pick up from Number 8 and drive over the try-line in the corner to put the visitors up by 0-5.  The Longton travelling supporters were extatic, with one even declaring that it was better than Sax - he must be part of an orchestra somewhere!  Unfortunately, H missed the difficult conversion from out wide.

The Willenhall response was almost immediate.  They drove through the middle using their big forwards.  One picked up from a ruck and drove forward from 20 meters out.  With Longton stopping him just short of the try-line he stretched out an arm and was deemed to have made the try-line on his first attempt, although a double movement seemed to have been made.  Still, Longton could not complain as they had ample chance to stop him shorter than they did, but stood off him long enough for him to get up a head of steam and power his way forward.  The conversion from just left of the posts made it over after deflecting off the upright to give Willenhall a 7-5 lead with 15 mins of the half left.

Longton got back on the front-foot and took the game back to Willenhall, winning rucks and mauls to create good ball for the backs to use.  H, playing at 10, made some good breaks into the heart of the forward areas, and managed to ship the ball out to the backs, but Willenhall's defence was resolute, and the Longton attacks by Suli, Taz and Joni were repeatedly snuffed out when it looked like one more pass might lead to another Longton score.

Willenhall replied constantly, using their big forwards to drive the ball up the middle, but some great counter rucking by Longton was evident.  Willenhall, however, were sharper around the ruck and secured any loose ball, whilst Longton stood watching.

With 5 mins left in the half, a Willenhall attack led to a ruck on the Longton 10 meter line.  Longton's defence was too slow to organise on the blind side.  The ball popped out of the back of the ruck and was loosely passed out to the Willenhall left-wing.  Jake, on the Longton right wing, ran to collect the loose ball, but was tackled off the ball by his opposite number - unseen by the referee.  The speedy Willenhall winger then scooped up the ball off the floor and ran up the wing unopposed to score in the corner.  Had Longton organised their defensive cover quicker there should have been another defender in position to stifle the atack.  The conversion was missed to bring the scores to 12-5.

Half-time 12-5.

Willenhall came out strongly in the second half with more forward drives and some in-roads being made by their backs. 

Injuries to Nathan at Hooker meant several positional changes had to be made in the Longton pack.  This gave Willenhall a scrummage advantage whilst the Longton players settled into their new positions - although the Longton scrum was shortly back in the ascendancy.  But the temporary advantage meant Willenhall had go-forward ball from the scrum, that they were soon to use to good effect.  Unfortunately, H who had been controlling the Longton defensive line well also went off injured shortly after. 

Longton were seeking to re-group and exert some pressure of their own, but Willenhall made another foray into the Longton 22.  With their player tackled just short of the line, Rhys like all good flankers, had arrived immediately, was on his feet and was trying to rip the ball from the Willenhall player who was on the floor.  The referee let Willenhall hang on to the ball and then allowed the Willenhall scrum-half to kick the Longton flanker in the hand to get him to let go of the ball.  A ruck formed around the Willenhall player and the ball seemed destined to stay trapped amongst the bodies that had accumulated on the floor.  But a Willenhall player, lying on the floor in the ruck, picked up the ball whilst still on the floor and touched it down over the Longton try line.  Longton were absoluteluy astounded when what should have been a Longton penalty for Willenhall handling in the ruck was deemed to be a good try by the Willenhall official.  At that point the Longton players decided that today was not going to be their day and they let their heads drop - despite rallying calls from Coaches and Supporters. The conversion brought the score to 19-5.

More pressure from Willenhall saw Longton's defence hold for a time, but after withstanding several attacks it was breached by Willenhall with one of their big runners picking up at the back of a ruck, dummying to pass outside and straightening up to run through the sloppy Longton defensive line.  He was brought down but offloaded - with a suspicion of a forward pass - to a supporting runner.  He too was tackled but also offloaded - again the pass looked forward - to a supporting runner who touched down and was deemed to have scored a good try.  With Willenhall missing the conversion, the score was now 24-5 with just minutes to go.

But there was time for one last act to bring some joy to the Longton supporters.  The Willenhall winger broke through on half-way and with no-one in front of him he seemed destined to sprint down the wing for a final try.  But Ethan, who had moved in to the Longton Outside Centre position from his usual Winger berth had other ideas.  He turned and showing great speed and dogged determination to catch the Willenhall flyer and then brought him down with a text-book tackle meters from the line to prevent any further score.

Final score 24-5.  

This season Longton are playing with much more technical ability and fortitude, and they are displaying a greater team spirit.  A win against one of these big South Staffs sides will surely come if the lads continue to put in the effort that they have been displaying in training. 

Longton U15s next match is at home to Wolverhampton U15 on Sunday 13th December.  Kick-off 11am.  

 AC