Whitchurch 82 vs Spartans 7
After a 2 week break Whitchurch were playing Spartans one place below them in the league and a must win game to keep the promotion challenge on target. The home side started the stronger and following some pressure in the 7th. minute opened the scoring with a Laim Udy try to settle the nerves with a Danny Nicholas conversion for the extra 2 points. This was followed 5 minutes later by his second try of the game following a strong 22 metre run into the corner. Whitchurch were camped in the opposition half and following a lineout a strong run by captain Ian Gillespie who off loaded to Oscar Crossen to score the 3rd. try. Max Clarke then dashed through the defence from the 20 metres out to score a try with another missed conversion. Winger Lyca Owen Youens then scored in the corner to add another try. Spartan heads were now dropping and after a driving maul Jake Bailey picked up a bit early and was stopped short of the try line but the ball was recycled for Steve Bloore playing his 301st. game piled over for another try. Whitchurch then found themselves under pressure in the final minute of the half and couldn’t stop the opposition going over for the try which was converted on the half time whistle to leave the score 32:7 at the break.
Early in the second half Harry Jackson made a good run beating off tackles before offloading to Robie Leighton to score under the posts. Leighton converted to add the extras. Five minutes later Liam Udy picked up from the back of the scrum drew in the defenders before passing to Danny Nicholas to go over in the corner. Rob Leighton then found the perfect line and ran through for another try under the posts. Man of the match Liam Udy then made another break and passed to Max Clarke to get hid second try of the game. Try of the day came next with passing from one side to the other with the confident backs with Ban Mason making the running who passed to Luca on the wing who was tackled just short of the line but managed to oof load in the tackle for Nathan Horton to juggle the ball without dropping it to go over the whitewash for another Whitchurch try. Ben Mason then had another good run side stepping tackles and scored near the posts for Leighton to convert. Elliott Horton then made some good ground before passing to team mate Bloore to go over again. In he final minute Liam and Luca combined passing to each other before Liam went over for his hat trick to a final score of 81:7.
Coach Danny Matthews was very pleased with the performance of the whole team and how the hard work in training is now paying off. The strength in depth of the club is now starting to show through with serious competition for places as is proved by wins for the second and third teams today. We had 11 of last years colts playing today for the top 2 teams and they look more than capable of holding their own in the senior sides.
