| It wasn't a pretty game, with both sides spilling the ball and too
much disruption through players being shown yellow cards for technical
offences. Apart from those valuable four points, the bonus was the cool and confident display by 18 year old scrum half scrum half Harry Readhead. His long low passing helped Moss get the final score |
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Readhead urges the pack on as West set up the winning drop goal |
| . Tom Wilson did well at full back until he went off injured
[following mother Tricia who was hit in the face by a clearance - but
fortunately quickly recovered] and Zac Southern who replaced him. 17
year old Liam Bailey will have to wait a bit longer for his debut - but
no doubt that is coming. Cleckheaton were as depressed at the final whistle as we were last week after enjoying the lion's share of possession in the middle of the game. And yet the winning margin could actually have been bigger. Mossy missed two penalties and a conversion he would normally have struck, while three other "tries" could have been awarded if the Ref had had a clearer view, and if Gareth Kerr hadn't stood on the wrong side of the touch judge to take a quick throw. We began the strongest and in the first 15 minutes all that was lacking was a score with Cleck defending solidly right across the pitch. They went ahead against the run of play with their first foray into our 22. By this time Andrew Cheslin had been yellow carded, for over aggressive use of the boot at the ruck, and the home side took advantage with second row Carl Mason forcing his way over in the corner. Enterprising full back Ross Hayden missed the conversion. He did get on the scoresheet on 22 minutes when a West attack up the right was broken up. Cleck stole the ball and a clever chip down the wing broke kindly for Hayden who raced in from 40 metres - this time he managed the conversion to make it 12-0. On the half hour home prop Paul Turner was yellow carded for being offside and we came back into the game. A Moss kick for touch wasn't going out but winger Ollie Depledge had little choice but to shoe it over the line with Gareth Kerr breathing down his neck. Gareth seized on the ball and threw it straight to Jamie Connolly who literally walked over the line to touchdown. But Referee Wayne Falla ruled that the line out had to be taken again as Kerr had stood on the advantage side of the touch judge. Mossy then missed the first of his penalty shots from just on the 22, after Cleck had been forced back 10 metres for backchat, and he was just wide with a second attempt just on half time. This waqs after aggressive flanker Lance Hamilton was yellow carded for coming in at the side. So it was 12-0 at the break. However, the home side started the second with 14 men and West finally got through that iron defence with a series of forward drives. Tim Sawyer feed the ball inside Jon Norris who crashed over. Sadly, it was just too wide an angle for the conversion. Mossy himself was the next in the sin-bin after failing to roll away on his own 22 and Hayden made it 15-5. Tim Sawyer, voted West Man of the Match by the Cleckheaton players, was then deemed to have been held up as he went over the line with referee Falla struggling in vain to see through the mass of bodies. Five minutes later he went again, stretching out to touch the ball down over the line as he fought off the defence, only to see play brought back for a West scrum. Apparently this was because Cleckheaton's Hamilton had been throwing punches at Jon Boatman and one can only assume Mr Falla had blown the whistle before the touchdown. Chris Stewart came on for Norris, and Zac Southern replaced Wilson, as West forced pressure on the home line. Jonny Boatman was held up inches from the line, but the ball was recycled left and finally Jamie Connolly found some space to go in. Moss, finally getting to terms with the long grass, slotting the conversion to make it 15-12. Cleck were visibly wilting and Paul Rudd opted to run the ball out his 22 before offloading to Andrew Cheslin. He chipped through middle catching the ball on the half way to send Peter Hodgson away. He was tackled short, but Cleckheaton infringed as they fought for possession and Moss stepped up to make it 15-15 as the ball went in off the post. Most of the West supporters would have settled for the 2 points there and then. But the game wasn't finished as Chris Stewart was yellow carded for hands on the floor. Unfortunately for the home side kicker Hayden had gone off with a shoulder injury and replacement kicker Nick Wainwright was just wide with his attempt from 25 metres out. West came straight back, and in injury time forced a line out just inside the home 22. The ball was recycled and Moss's drop goal, on his favoured left foot, was low but straight between the posts to leave the home crowd somewhat stunned. |
Cleckheaton 15 West 18
By Dave Picken - September 22 2009Drop Goal
Paul Moss was the last minute hero with a drop goal which sealed the first win of the season - a result that had looked extremely unlikely with 20 minutes to go.
This was a game which mirrored last week's game against Chester - only this time it was our turn to sneak the points with a late surge.