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LOUGHBOROUGH STUDENTS RFC  29 v  DMPRFC  14

LOUGHBOROUGH STUDENTS RFC 29 v DMPRFC 14

Kevin Robinson23 Oct 2016 - 17:43
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Another defeat on the road for DMPRFC, with a slight improvement in performance.

An improvement on last week, but nothing to write home about.

DMPRFC are traditionally and strangely enough a 'bogey side' for Loughborough Students RFC, especially over the last couple of seasons.

Perhaps, subconsciously, they may have expected to succumb at the weekend to a DMPRFC squad who showed a few changes from the poor performance at Plymouth Albion RFC the week previous.

However, as the students are more combative these days, their scrum held its own and their lineout functioned very well. The collisions in and around the pitch in this game were pretty even too and taking all things into account, they were thoroughly deserving of their win, leap-frogging their visitors in the process, up the league and into 5th spot in National League One.

Taking into account the mammoth trip last weekend to Plymouth, the Loughborough journey was a more pleasant affair, but the 2pm kick-off the students dictate, is probably a little early for travellers.

However, as DMPRFC took to the field, it appeared as though they had shaken off the travelling immediately, although that proved to be short lived.

After an initial flurry of possession which never materialised into any points, DMPRFC allowed their hosts to dominate the first half, so much so that the game was effectively over by the time oranges arrived.

The dominance in scrum and forward physicality just wasn't there for DMPRFC, which gave the students the confidence to take the game to DMPRFC, which they duly did in a fairly accomplished manner.

Loughborough were unsuccessful with a couple of early penalties from fly half Josh Sharp, but he drilled his third opportunity, opening the scoring (3 - 0), which then followed with regularity for the students.

Home prop Riccardo Brugnara found a gap in the DMPRFC defence, eventually putting in winger Austin Beckett for the first of the students eventual four tries (8 - 0). Sharp added the extras (10 - 0).

DMPRFC did have opportunities, but their lineout let them down in key attacking areas and those chances were missed.

Loughborough continued to attack with their usual pace and top scoring centre Gair Currie grabbed the first of his brace of tries, after good work out wide by the home backs (15 - 0). Again Sharp added the conversion (17 - 0).

Visiting centre Ben FRANKLAND turned an ankle in the warm-up and whilst attempting to soldier on, compensated too much, injuring his other ankle in the process, leaving the field on 24 minutes, together with full back Jamie BARNARD, who also turned an ankle after a kick and chase effort in midfield.

Strong running centre James FITZPATRICK and Josh BRAGMAN entered the fray sooner than expected and both contributed to DMPRFC 's resurgence after the break.

Things went from bad to worse for the visitors, as Joel GILL was curiously yellow carded for what appeared to both sets of supporters, to be a fairly innocuous fair challenge for the ball.

GILL chased a high ball put up by a colleague and was confronted by an equally determined student, who like GILL kept his eye on the ball, both ready to jump an collect should the opportunity arise. Both kept their eye on the ball, jumped as high as they could and collided in the air with the ball spilling from both. The official penalised GILL with a yellow card, as he stood up quicker than his opponent, who remained prostrate momentarily, but had suffered no injury. Apparently there is a law or protocol that deals specifically with this incident, but onlookers could only see two committed individuals vying for the ball.

So down in numbers, as is normally the case in these situations, DMPRFC conceded a minute later, when full back William Edwards beat the defence to score wide out (22 - 0). The conversion was missed from Sharp.

So as half time arrived, DMPRFC trudged off in the knowledge that the 'best comeback since Lazurus' was required after oranges, whilst the students were all warm and comfortable, safe in the knowledge that it would be difficult for their visitors to recover and contemplating more of the same in the second half.

There seemed to be a better focus for DMPRFC after oranges and they went about their business with purpose.

DMPRFC were stoic in defence early doors after the break and repelled several Loughborough attacks within the red zone, managing to clear their lines with booming efforts from Caolan RYAN.

A fairly minor fracas escalated into a full 'handbags at dawn' episode, with the usual pushing and shoving, but with only the one heavyweight contender flailing at all around him, who duly received his reward with 10 minutes in the cooler on 54 minutes played.

This altercation spurred on the visitors, who scored a minute later, whilst the students, like DMPRFC in the first half, were reduced in numbers.

James FITZPATRICK ran in the first of his two tries (22 - 5), with Caolan RYAN adding the extras (22 - 7). The arrears were reduced still further, when FITZPATRICK struck again (22 - 12), leaving his kicker the easiest of conversions, which he duly despatched (22 - 14) to get the visitors within 8 points.

At this stage, it was all DMPRFC, with the students somewhat reeling from the 2-try salvo and keyed into defending their lead mode.

Frustratingly, as DMPRFC attacked, skipper James PENMAN's illicit footwork on an opponent blatantly lying in the ruck was adjudged worthy of a spell on the bench and with that the fight back fizzled out.

Joel GILL did break free and was in sight of the line, when the final pass to him was correctly deemed to be forward, as DMPRFC desperately sought the win or at least bonus points.

As so often is the case in these situations when committing to all out attack, the students managed to gain possession within in their own 22-metres and score probably the best try of the game, with a sweeping effort involving several players, culminating with Currie finishing off with his second try of the game (27 - 14) and who was deserving of Loughborough Student RFC's choice of Man of the Match. The try was converted and closely followed by the end of the game, as Loughborough managed to run down the clock and were full value for their win.

A slight improvement for DMPRFC, but no points to show for their efforts, as they slip down to halfway house (8th) in this very competitive league.

Things don't get any easier for DMPRFC, as Birmingham Moseley RFC visit the Arena next weekend for the first time.

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