Burnage 24 New Brighton 13

 

Report by Paul Lewis

The Blues finished second best in this bruising encounter and lost hooker Phil Buckley with what appears to be a serious knee injury.

The game started well for the Blues and it was one-way traffic for the first 20 minutes. The home side, forced into some desperate tackling, just managed to keep out the Blue forwards, thwarted on the line on three occasions they finally opened the scoring in the 15th minute with a well taken penalty from stand off Birley.

Burnage saw little of the ball in the opening period and what they did was quickly snuffed out by the Blue wing forwards, Liku and Hibbs. The home side switched to a kicking game and from their first encounter in the Blues 22 won a lineout. Some slick interplay between the backs and the powerful home centre crashed through a gap in the defence to touch down close to the posts. The conversion made it 7 -3 and within three minutes it was stretched to 12 when some poor tackling allowed the home wing to get over in the corner, no conversion but the home side appeared to have worked out the Blues.

The Blues continued their pick and drive game but were brought down by some courageous if dubious tackling techniques which on occasion had no suggestion of arm use. The referee’s interpretation was possibly generous as it was regarding the point of entry at the maul but the Blues failed to adapt their play accordingly.

Just before half time Phil Buckley standing guard at the maul was hit by a ferocious driving tackle from the side that led to a prolonged stoppage and he had to be helped from the field. The Blues were forced to reshuffle and Kieran Hibbs was switched to the front row allowing Jack Stott-Sugden into the game.

Half Time Score: Burnage 12 – 3 New Brighton

The home side, which possessed two or three very skilful players, stretched the score to 17 – 3 within a minute of the restart, able to fashion an overlap from a clever switch move. The conversion was missed.

The Blues resumed with added vigour and the champagne moment of the game came in the 45th minute when for once not opting to pick and drive the Blues combined well to put Liku across the line. Scrum half Alan Hesketh linking with Liku, and centre Mafi before releasing a brilliant reverse pass enabling the wing forward to get over unchallenged.

Although the conversion was missed the Blues were rallying and in the absence of the home side 8, finally yellow carded for killing the ball, it was Kati’s turn to on the score sheet to make it 17 – 13 following another forward drive.

Throwing everything into attack the Blues were undone by a spiralling kick into the corner and a rapid winger managing to touch down just before the ball left play, for once the conversion was good and the scoring finished at 24 – 13. The Blues then brought on promising youngster Mustafa at tight head who managed to get in a couple of powerful runs before the game was to close. Sadly all hopes of a further score dissipated when Kati was quite rightly yellow carded for a late challenge.

Final Score: Burnage 24 – 13 New Brighton

New Brighton 2s were well beaten by Burnage 2s who confirmed their place at the top of their league.

Both sides, travelling together, were well looked after by very friendly and entertaining hosts. Two defeats were a bitter pill to swallow but the excellent cask ales on offer went a long way towards it and we can look forward to next season’s return.

 

New Brighton 36 Broughton Park 27

 

Report by Doug Thorpe

Team: 15. Sean Ellis, 14. Luke Thompson 13. Vinnie Dutton, 12. Simione Mafi, 11. Nick Aldersey, 10. Anthony Birley 9. Neil Cross (Alan Hesketh), 1. Paul Lewis 2. Phil Buckley, 3. John Williams, 4. Paul Roberts, 5. Mike Gazzola, 6. Loa Tupou, 7. Paea Liku (Phil Gazzola), 8. Kati Tuipulotu.

It was all smiles in the Reeds Lane Clubhouse on Saturday afternoon. The prematch lunch had been well attended. The “Ladies who Lunch” had a substantial table and Brian Boumphry had gathered together a his large and jovial crew, all in addition to the President’s hospitality and the usual assorted regulars who enjoy these convivial junkets before the game. The day was crowned by a most enjoyable game for which both teams deserve to be well congratulated. For New Brighton it was particularly gratifying, as having had a bit of an ‘in and out’ season, this win virtually excludes any lingering possibility of relegation.

The Blues started well with Paea Liku, Loa Tupou, Simione Mafi and Mike Gazzola getting themselves very much involved in the early stages. But is was the visitors who drew first blood when Adedayo Titiloye streaked through what was left of the defence to open the scoring on the 7th minute after fly half Chris Brammer made the all important initial break with Oliver Nevin and full back Ronan O’Brien combining to increase the damage.

The Park backs were always threatening to overwhelm the defence. New Brighton limiting attacks to forwards making the hard yards had failed to score from a driving maul set piece attack from a line out and then found themselves slipping a further 3 points in arrears when O’Brien converted a penalty at the end of the first quarter.

New Brighton started to come into the game with a try by Simione Mafi. The forwards had driven and mauled the ball some 40 metres before releasing it and quick ball from Neil Cross was just what the big centre needed. Luke Thompson added the extras and at 7 points to 8 on the half hour there was some easing of the tension on the terraces.

Park hit back to restore the lead temporarily with a clever series of interchanges between scrum half Elliot and their excellent No 13, Patrick O’Donnell for the latter to touch down near the posts and O’Brien to convert. A well organised restart by the Blues then put Park under immediate pressure. The ball was turned over and Phil Buckley, Simione Mafi, Neil Cross and Anthony Birley worked the magic for Birls to touch down. Thompson again on target and back with only a single point in it as the end approached of the first half.

Half Time Score: New Brighton 14 – 15 Broughton Park

Sloppy defending allowed Park to again extend their lead as wing Jamie Harrison ran round the outside of the cover to score an incredible solo but unconverted try. But, again Park failed to control the ball on the restart and again New Brighton took full advantage. Some delightful handling put Anthony Birley in for his second try and Luke Thompson again produced the goods to put the Blues ahead for the first time in the game at 21 points to 20 on 50 minutes.

New Brighton controlled the game as the second half wore on. Birley was using a wind advantage to place his kicks well and the home pack was dominating a tiring Park eight. New Brighton drove over the line after an attacking line out but the referee, unsighted, did not award the score. However, from the following 5 metre scrum Kati picked up at the base and the referee had no trouble in awarding a try this time.

Kati was again on the score sheet. He picked up at the base of the scrum some 10 metres out, offloaded to Loa in the tackle and then took the return pass to finish off the move. The conversion brought the score to 33 points to 20 with five minutes to play. Birley rounded off his day with a late drop goal but Broughton Park now down by 16 points were not to go quietly. With a late surge they put New Brighton under pressure, Oliver  Nevin charged down a clearance kick and romped over in the last gasp of the game and O’Brien kicked the goal.

Final Score: New Brighton 36 – 27 Broughton Park

Photos

 

Blackburn 24 New Brighton 21

 

Report by Paul Lewis

Coach Steve Dorrington described this as the worst performance of the season, certainly the result was not as expected given the Blues emphatic win over already relegated Blackburn in the home meeting earlier this season. Add to that their drubbing at Lymm last week the bookies would have had this as an away win.

Paul Lewis closes in on a loose ball

The game started as the pundits expected, and with a very strong wind at their backs the Blues had no trouble pinning the home side in their own 22 for the first 30 minutes. Kati managed to cross the line on four occasions but was adjudged to be held up and the score remained at nil all until Mahon and Lewis combined to bring a little variation into the attack with the latter spinning off a powerful drive from the lock forward to touch down beneath the posts. The conversion was duly added by Luke Thompson and it appeared it would be a case of how many rather than if. Five minutes later the home side finally got some ball and attempted to escape their own half but Mafi picked up an easy interception and scampered in, another easy conversion and the score rolled over to 14 – nil.

Blues forwards in support of the ball carrier

The Blues were dominant in the line and scrum winning a high percentage of the ball but attack after attack came to nothing due in the main to taking the wrong option, despite the home side being a man down, following a yellow card, their lack of numbers was never exploited and neither wing was found throughout the half.

A great jump by Keith Mahon

Wave after wave of forward surges by the Blues were thwarted by some last ditch and courageous tackling; the home physio was extremely busy and with blood replacements on the field and down to 14 men even the die hard home fans expected the floodgates to open. They never did, the Blues became increasingly frustrated and the penalty count began to rattle up at an alarming rate although why the Blue scrummage should twice choose to deliberately wheel when they had already won the ball on the five metre line will remain a mystery that only the referee might explain.

Loa passes to Kati

In the closing minutes of the half Keith Mahon caught a loose elbow and had to be helped off with a fractured cheek bone, the home side capitalised on the disruption and managed to mount an attack, winger Kolinisau made the most of some very poor tackling and touched down close to the posts, the conversion was slotted home by Bleasdale and the half closed at 7 -14.

Half Time Score: Blackburn 6 – 3 New Brighton

At this stage the Blues should have been out of sight and they knew it; the home side were still in the game and came out much the stronger in the second half. Still with very little ball they made the most of their chances and within 5 minutes of the restart the scores were level. The Blues back line parted like the Red Sea and the home wing Maudsley sped in at the corner; a well taken conversion again from Bleasdale levelled the scores.

Another Blues forward drive

The Blues became increasingly tied into a mauling wrestle of a game, although they managed to capture the ball it was invariably carried straight back to the forwards for more of the same. The home side always managed to halt the drive by one means or another and protests to the referee led to two yellow cards, John Williams and Simione Mafi both taking time on the touchline.

Kati finally got his name on the score sheet in the 55th minute touching down following a for once well disciplined forward drive; Thompson was again good with the conversion. Now was the time for the ship to be steadied but sad to say more questioning of a decision led to yet another penalty only two minutes later and Bleasdale reduced the deficit to four points.

The gale force wind continued to affect the game and the Blues found themselves under severe pressure but thanks to some excellent cover tackling from man of the match Kieran Hibbs the visitors could not find a way through. The visiting supporters were given no respite from the tension however as some poor 22 restarts served only to give the home side easy ball and the decision to pick and drive from their own line was always going to end badly, on one such occasion the Blues managed to make 30 metres before the inevitable scrummage was awarded against them. Given the way the game had gone up to that point even the coach driver had predicted what the next whistle would bring.

In the closing minutes Blackburn wing Kolinisau, somehow not their man of the match, engineered an interchange of passes which led to him touching down in the corner. The conversion, inexplicably allowed to be taken some 10 metres further in, was stroked home and the home side led 24-21.

The Blues had little else to offer that differed from what had preceded and the game drew to a close with yet another wrestling match.

Final Score: Blackburn 24 – 21 New Brighton

Not a game for the purist but all credit to Blackburn who managed to get themselves up from the canvas of the previous weeks ignominy to show what they might have been capable of. They are certain to be relegated this season, the Blues may yet mathematically, but even if that arose we would not be in the same league next season, we wish them well in the future they are the most hospitable club in the league.

Report of the match on the Blackburn website

 

New Brighton 25 Aspatria 15

 

Report by Paul Lewis

A very late kick off as a result of a blow out on the M6 Motorway benefitted the bar and food profits but did little for the Blues team performance.

All credit to Aspatria whose defence has, by necessity, improved considerably since the start of the season. This was not however a game for the neutral with just a few flashes of entertaining rugby on offer.

The first half was somewhat dire, the visitors suffering from rigor mortis having been seat bound on their coach for several hours and the Blues somewhat overcooked from too many warm ups.

The game started well enough for the Blues but they may have been over confident in declining an easy 3 point penalty in front of the posts to go for a drive which came to nothing. Moments later a second penalty was awarded near to the half way line and rather than kick long for touch an attempt on goal was made which fell well short. The Blues were, however, dominating the game at the scrum and in the loose.

The Blues hard tackling lock Tevita Liku had to be helped off in the 24th minute following an ankle injury allowing Jack Stott-Sugden to slip onto the back row with Loa Tupou switching to lock. This gave the Blues more variation in the line and they now had the lion’s share of the ball in all aspects of the game.

Only some last-ditch tackling and courageous defence managed to keep the Blues from scoring .The frustration led to a number of penalties and skipper Kati was yellow carded in the 28th minute for an offence at the break down.

Despite the depletion it seemed to be only a matter of time before the Aspatrian walls would fall. However the visitors had not read the script and took the lead from a well taken penalty by stand off Borthwick, following their first venture into the Blues half.

Wave after wave of Blue forward attacks were repulsed and the visitors grew more desperate at each foray, this led to a succession of penalties and further yellow cards were awarded to the Aspatria centre, Henrich, for an illegal manoeuvre, and a minute later to full back Moss who was less than sterling in the tackle. Blues wing Luke Thompson slotted home both opportunities to make it 6 – 3 at the interval.

Half Time Score: New Brighton 6 – 3 Wilmslow

The second half was considerably more entertaining and the home crowd buoyed by somewhat more than their usual pre-match half pint cheered their team to a 25 – 15 victory.

Sean Ellis linked well with his fly half to break through in the 44th minute and crossed the white wash but spilt the ball backwards, fortunately Birley was following up and he managed to secure the try.

The highlight of the game came in the 50th minute when Mafi Simione was finally found in space and managed to dance his way through most of the visiting team to touch down beneath the posts, the conversion was good and the Blues led 18 – 3.

It seemed that the flood gates were about to open and indeed they might but for a succession of dropped passes and more stalwart defence from the visitors.

On 63 minutes the visiting full back Stephen Moss showed what he could have done with more ball when he fielded a kick near his own line; he managed to side step the chasing tacklers and scamper down field, after off-loading to wing Walter Cloete he took the return pass to score in the corner, making it 18 - 8.

Further pressure from the home forwards led to a 5-metre scrum, the Blues powered towards the line but the 8 broke too early and was held up just short of the line and conceded a penalty. Moments later Kati made amends at a driving maul carrying himself and four defenders over for his side’s third try of the afternoon/evening, ably converted by Thompson to take the score to 25 – 8.

The Blues coach brought on veterans Neil Cross and Mark Dorrington for the final 5 minutes and Neil was most unlucky not to be awarded what seemed to most a perfectly good try in the top left corner but the referee was unsighted.

In the closing minutes the visitors enjoyed their best period of the game finally managing to secure some ball and it was another South African, wing forward Jacques Rowe, who scored the game’s final try converted by scrum half Jack Clegg .

Final Score: New Brighton 25 – 15 Aspatria

Another patchy performance from the Blues with the forwards, as ever, dominating but the side continue to make basic errors and some seem to struggle with the finer points of the law.

The seconds enjoyed a 45 - 0 romp away at Widnes with the returning Gazzola, Mullen and Roberts all featuring; the Blues may yet have a full strength squad before the season ends. Next week the Blues travel to Blackburn, the meet is 12 noon and the coach will depart very soon thereafter.

Photos