Photos by Paul Lewis

 

Northwich 10 – 36  New Brighton

Tries: Kati(4), Brotherton(1), Pens: Dean(1), Cons: Dean(4)

Blues challenge for the ball from the kick off

Joel Parker takes the crash ball at centre

Blues set up another power drive

“train coming through”, Kati about to score the first of his 4 on the afternoon

 

The Blues notched up another fine win thanks to a powerful forward performance.

 

New Brighton started strongly and came close to scoring twice in the opening 10 minutes but were denied by some resolute defensive work .It wasn’t until the 16^th minute that the home side got their first taste of the ball, whilst they might have had trouble getting hold of it they showed they knew what to do with it, managing to pick holes in the Blues backs for wing forward Miratana to come into the line and touch down in the corner, the conversion was missed.

 

Not for the first time this season the Blues found themselves behind but were quickly back in the game and skipper Kati touched down following a driving maul from a lineout, Steve Dean was unlucky with the conversion which fell inches short.

 

The home side managed to galvanise themselves and took control for the rest of the half, they were unlucky not to get points on the board, only a mixture of good tackling, strange calls from the referee and poor options denied them. Their back line were very impressive and had they looked for space rather than contact they could have gone into half time with a lead.

 

Half Time  5-5

 

I don’t know what the Blues coaches said to the players at half time but it was immediately evident that the train was back on track and on a one way journey. The Blues took up their short yardage game and inflicted several major hits into the defending pack, unable to get enough weight behind the ball the home side began to transgress coming in from the sides once too often, and from a penalty on the 47^th minute Steve Dean stroked home a 40 metre effort for the Blues to take the lead.

 

A succession of blue surges over the line resulted in tries, it was never quite clear who had actually touched down until the supporting players had moved away. First John Brotherton touched down against his old side following a maul close to the posts, then, with all the lights becoming green now for Brighton Kati scored from a tight scrum in the right corner. Steve Dean, whose confidence continues to grow, slotted home the extras and at 22 – 5 New Brighton looked to have the job done; and the pack, operating as an eight man engine, were becoming harder to stop.

 

It was at that point that the Blues felt the need to throw the ball around, and with a cavalier disregard shipped the ball wild and wide across the pitch, allowing Miratana to intercept on the 10 metre line and race in to narrow the deficit, the conversion was badly missed from in front of the posts. Coach Ian Kennedy took the opportunity of reminding the Blues of what had previously been said in no uncertain terms.

 

The effect was immediate and the blue engine picked up steam for the final quarter of the game. Credit to the home defenders who in the end were simply overpowered, any thoughts of a respite were short lived when Mark Dorrington and Paul Lewis came off only to be replaced by Lotu and Paul Campbell.

 

Kati added his third try in the 70^th minute and his fourth in the 75^th, both converted by Steve Dean to take the score to 36 -10 both from drives at the lineout.

 

With results elsewhere going their way the Bues are still in with a chance of a promotion play-off;

no game next week but Lymm come to Hartsfield on 7^th March.

 

Paul Lewis

 

Match Report by Paul Lewis

 

NEW BRIGHTON 20 - 11 LIVERPOOL ST HELENS

 

New Brighton maintained their winning run with a hard fought victory over LSH. Both sides have improved greatly since their previous encounter this season and the game was evenly balanced in the front five with LSH loose head Lourens outstanding for the visitors.

 

Blues tight head John Brotherton was forced to cry off late on allowing Lotu Ngunguatau, back from his honeymoon, to step in.

 

The Blues got off to a disastrous start, the normal rock steady kick off reception drill was missing allowing LSH to home in on isolated players. When the ball bounced clear the visitors were able to quickly shift the ball down the right wing, a missed tackle and centre Cunliffe touched down to make it 0-5 in the first minute without the home side laying hands on the ball.

 

The Blues kick off proved less effective going too low and too far enabling LSH to kick back down field. The visitors then pounded away at the Blues line and were unfortunate not to extend their lead, let down by some poor passing. In the 7^th minute visiting stand off Worsley, having missed the earlier conversion, extended the lead to 8-0 with a well taken penalty and on 17 minutes to 11-0 when the blues transgressed again in a desperate attempt to keep out the visitors.

 

At this point the home side were on the ropes and any hopes of a play-off place looked very doubtful, but as in previous games New Brighton proved that there is nothing like the smell of the canvas to galvanise them. Slowly the home side took control and as the visitors blitz died away the Blues rallied and took the ball to the opposition. As ever it was Kati who showed the way with some pulverising short yardage followed up by man of the match Ikuna and Ryan McKibben forcing the visitors into tackle after tackle. In the 17^th minute the Blues were awarded their first penalty as a result of a high tackle and Steve Dean slotted over a long range effort to reduce the deficit.

 

The visitors responded well, again the kick-off reception was found wanting with players out of position, but the ball was knocked on allowing a let off for the home side. The Blues gradually made their way back down field and from a 5m scrummage skipper Kati drove over to make it 8 -11, the conversion from Steve Dean brought the home side within a point and two minutes from the interval Dean put the home side in the lead with another fine kick.

 

Half time 13 -11

 

This was a hard physical encounter well worthy of the traditions of both clubs with no quarter being asked or given .The visitors having taken a second wind raised their game in the opening of the second half and at one point threatened the home line. The game was to be won or lost in that period and it was fitting for New Brighton’s three youngest players to combine to score the decisive try. Ryan McKibbin broke away from just outside his own 22m line to carry the ball across the half way where he offloaded to Paul Lewis who surged deep into the opposition half before shipping the ball out to winger Greg Hughes who jinked left and right before carrying the ball across the whitewash with two tacklers on his back. Steve Dean was successful in the conversion to make it 20-11.

 

Another two points and the Blues go to Northwich next week in good form.