DMPRFC 27 v HULL IONIANS RFC 28

With Stourbridge nearly home and hosed barring a catastrophe, the fight for the silver medal is still very competitive and so it turned out as Hull Ionians won narrowly against nearest rivals Darlington Mowden Park RFC.

Although the Darlington Mowden Park won the try count (4 to 3), the experienced visiting back five forwards dictated proceedings for the majority of the game, retaining possession and starving the home side of any decent ball with which to unleash their talented back division.

Although not entirely pleasing on the eye from the purists perspective, the constant use of the pick- up and drive tactic was certainly effective and with their front row colleagues as eager to carry the ball as the former five mentioned, plenty of headway was realised during the course of the game.

Hull Ionians initially started the brighter and retained the ball early on, until after three minutes, the first move from the home backs brought the first try of the game.

Possession was gained in midfield just past halfway and into visiting territory and Grant CONNON skilfully threw out a miss-pass to Cameron MITCHELL who found the gap, scything through and with a two-on-one opportunity created, found full back Chris McTURK who scored unopposed (5 – 0).

Hull Ionians applied forward pressure, but it was not until the eighteenth minute, that the visitors levelled, with a sniping break down the blind side from a scrum by their scrum half, ably supported by a flanker who dived over for a score wide out (5 – 5).

DMPRFC were having to defend for large periods of the first half, as the visiting pack battered away and there were occasional glimpses of what the home backs were capable of, however, as previously stated, they were starved of possession.

DMPRFC were reduced to 14 men, when prop Dan MILLER was adjudged to have impeded progress at maul time, which affected the home side as it forced a re-shuffle for the scrums.

Hull Ionians took advantage of the situation and after another series of pick and drives, scored a try near to the posts (5 – 10), which was converted (5 – 12), although the kick was given, it was debatable whether the afters had dissected the posts.

As oranges arrived, the game was finely poised, however the visitors had enjoyed more than the ‘lions share’ of possession.

Again, the mini section of DMPRFC, who had formed a welcoming tunnel for the 1ST XV combatants prior to the start of the game, also had their day, entertaining the crowd with games of touch rugby during the interval. They were all warming applauded as they left the field.

On the resumption of play, it was more of the same from the Hull Ionians forwards and when a defensive scrum for the home side failed, from the resulting turnover a visiting flanker profited, diving over for the score (5 – 17). Again the kick was successful (5 – 19).

The visiting stand-off landed another a penalty (5 – 22), when DMPRFC were adjudged to be offside in midfield, before home counterpart Grant CONNON responded in kind, as Hull Ionians for not releasing after the tackle (8 – 22).

Unfortunately, the game erupted on sixty minutes, resulting in the referee sending off home winger Shaun McCartney and a visiting centre for an incident, with other players from both sides joining in with unnecessary pushing and shoving.

With some calm restored, another penalty for Hull Ionians was kicked (8 – 25) and the game appeared to be out of the reach of DMPRFC.
In between two further yellow cards for Hull Ionians, Chris McTURK reduced the arrears with a good try wide out (13 – 25) and when home centre Cameron MITCHELL touched down (18 – 25) after good work retaining possession from the home forwards, the seemingly unassailable Hull Ionians lead looked in danger. The afters were supplied by replacement Tom HODGSON (20 – 25).

But, as the clocked ticked down, Hull Ionians summoned an extra play and were awarded a penalty under the posts for an infringement at scrum time, which was kicked easily (20 – 28).

Not to be outdone, there was just enough time for DMPRFC to score their fourth try of the day, coming from metronomic flanker Luke WISHNOWSKY (25 – 28), the afters also successful from Tom HODGSON (27 – 28).

No more time was added and although Hull Ionians deservedly took the spoils in this tough encounter, DMPRFC gained two bonus points, which was a decent return from the game.

Some Hull Ionians supporters will think their team were unlucky not to have been awarded a penalty try instead of a penalty for their last points of the game, but home supporters will perhaps point to the yellow card against the visiting full back when cynically knocking forward a pass for a ‘certain’ try earlier. Both probably cancelled each other out.

All in all, a thoroughly entertaining game for all supporters.