Match Report by Doug Thorpe

 

New Brighton 8 – 17 Rossendale

 

Team Sheet: 15. Lario Tuliva, 14. Vinnie Dutton, 13. Greg Hughes, 12. Andy Signal, 11. Adam Pitt, 10. Gareth Jones, 9. Sean Ellis, 1. Paul Lewis, 2. Lewis Mullen, 3. Lotu Ngungutau(John Williams  78 mins), 4. Paul Roberts, 5. Lee McCourt (Conan Grehan 77 mins) , 6. Ikuna Manuofetoa, 7. Ryan McKibbin, 8. Katilimoni Tu’ipulotu.

 

Rossendale were delighted to run out winners in this keenly contested game at Hartsfield on Saturday. With the unexpected league defeat for second placed Altrincham Kersal at the hands of Sandbach ( New Brighton opponents next Saturday) it put them equal on points with a game in hand and well set for a possible promotion playoff place at the end of the season.

 

Winning the toss and electing to face a bitterly cold wind in the first half the Blues were unfortunate not to be leading at half time though, under the conditions, a deficit of only 8 points to 11 at the break was not that bad. Rossendale had taken the lead by the 4^th minute with a penalty goal by Shaun Stirrup and went further ahead with a try five minutes later against the general run of play. A relieving kick carried on the wind found touch deep in the Blues’ half, the lineout was lost to the Rossendale forwards and backs and forwards subsequently combined well to put lock Richard Horrocks in at the corner.

 

New Brighton though playing some enterprising football were not able to outwit a well organised defence. The forwards with Sean Ellis at scrum half were delivering quick ball. Good support running and good hands could have produced more. Andy Signal was a constant threat and Lario Tuliva appeared in the line frequently to great effect but a Gareth Jones penalty on the 26^th minute was the only reward and that was cancelled out when prop Lotu Ngunguntau was yellow carded 10 minutes later and Stirrup claimed his second penalty goal to put the visitors 8 points in the lead at 3 – 11. Ryan McKibbin’s try in the final minute of the half put the Blues back in the game. A well weighted kick by Gareth Jones sat up nicely for Vinnie Dutton to make the decisive run and put McKibbin away for a well deserved 5 points.

 

Half Time Score: New Brighton 8 – 11 Rossendale

 

In a second half more dominated by defences, an unacceptable number of stoppages and the referees whistle than the sparkle seen in the first half brought no more tries. Rossendale’s two further penalty goals to make a total of four would indicate that by gross indiscipline New Brighton were responsible for their own defeat which would not necessarily be a fair assessment in this case.  Nevertheless it does beg the question of “how do you make life easy for the referee?” They are human after all.

 

Final Score: New Brighton 8 – 17 Rossendale

 

Report and lots of pictures of the game on the Rossendale RFC site

Report by Paul Lewis Snr

 

Rochdale 28 - 6 New Brighton

 

The Blues succumbed to a second successive defeat at league leaders Rochdale on Saturday where two scores late on gave an artificial indication of the game overall.

 

With 8 changes to the original line up this was always going to be difficult, but all credit to the lads pulled up on Saturday morning.

 

A strong cross wind prevented open play for much of the first half with an extraordinary number of line outs on the far side of the pitch, which inevitably led to further break downs and yet more line outs, not a game of great spectacle and the highlights of the first half were a well taken penalty from the home side’s stand off Collins( justifiably the man of the match) and a somewhat dubious try from flanker Ellis again converted by Collins. Ellis having tackled and dispossessed the New Brighton full back from a kick taken at least 20 metres behind him, the referee was obviously unsighted.

 

Jim Yarrington pulled 3 points back for the Blues with a close range penalty early in the second half before Collins restored the difference shortly afterwards. Yarrington was just short on a further attempt but cut the lead to 7 points on the 60^th minute. With everything to play for and despite the many changes the Blues were still in the game needing just a converted try to pull level.

 

The final 15 minutes were probably the most entertaining and when Riddle was finally yellow carded for persistent offside it looked like the tables were about to turn with the Blues making use of new found ground, However stalwart defence from the home side held out and a long range kick from Collins took the score to 16-6.

 

Last weeks emergency stand off Lewis again filled the number 10 shirt and defensively the Blues back line were very effective.

 

Rochdale skipper and Number 8 Bradwell drove over from close in to stretch the lead with less than 10 minutes remaining. With a final roll of the dice the Blues introduced Gareth Jones to the stand off berth allowing Lewis to revert to his favoured prop position in place of Mark Dorrington. Throwing caution to the wind the Blues attempted to throw the ball wide but from a spilt ball it was that man Collins who scooped up and zig zagged through for the final score which he duly converted.

 

No one could dispute that the best team won on the day and it looks like a foregone conclusion that Rochdale will now get promotion which is a pity as they are probably the most hospitable club in the league with a side that tries to play open rugby, we will miss them!

 

 

Match Report by Doug Thorpe

New Brighton 12 – 15 Lymm

 

Paul Lewis, normally wearing jersey number 1, 3, 4 or 5, started the game at No 10 to cover a late withdrawal by Stephen Dean. To his great credit and by a demonstration of some unusual multi positional skills he did not look particularly out of place in the position. As justifiable recognition he was awarded the New Brighton Man of the Match.

 

In a fragmented and at times bad tempered game the Blues found themselves down by 15 points to nil by the end of the first quarter. A dropped ball by the Blues from the kickoff followed by the scrum and then a penalty which the Lymm fly half Mike Swetman converted into points put the visitors on the board with barely 2 minutes on the clock. Apart from the lineout, where Paul Campbell and Ryan Stead were largely unchallenged, the pack were under pressure and with a steady stream of good ball the Lymm backs were a constant threat. Excellent working with the ball put Tom Hughes in for a fine try on the 5^th minute and another well constructed attack put scrum half Chris Kinsey at the end of the scoring pass, crossing under the post for the simplest of conversions. Less than 20 minutes into the game, 15 points in arrears and with the defence in clear disarray all the portents were for a crashing home defeat. 

 

New Brighton steadied as the game moved into the second quarter, defence organisation improved and some good attacks built up with Ryan McKibben, Sean Ellis and Steve Ashcroft putting in some promising breaks. Then a further blow, with Steve Ashcroft dismissed to the sin bin for reacting to a deliberate provocation soon after the half hour.  Down to 14 men the Blues, fired by what was perceived as a rank injustice, raised their game and put the Lymm line under intense pressure for the remainder of the half. But, despite forward pressure forcing the ball over the line it was not grounded to the satisfaction of the referee.

 

Half Time Score: New Brighton 0 – 15 Lymm

 

The New Brighton game plan was very forward dominated in the second period, Mark Dorrington forced his way over 5mins after the break and a Paul Lewis conversion was to put the Blues back into the game. Greg Hughes reduced the deficit further on the 51^st minute with a fine try on the left to bring the score difference to only 3 points. With 30 minutes remaining the wind was set fair for New Brighton.

 

New Brighton, perhaps mistakenly, persisted with forward pressure, particularly on the Lymm line where they might more productively have released the ball to the backs. Lymm responded with a spirited defence interspersed with frequently employed delaying tactics to disrupt any impetus build up and create an opportunity to regroup. One way or another, the Blues, though commanding a position for much of the final quarter which should have been converted into points, it just did not happen and the game stuttered to a bitty end for Lymm to claim the 2 league points.

 

Final Score: New Brighton 12 – 15 Lymm

 

Pictures of the game on the Lymm RFC site