|
TECH 30 - 17 REDCAR |
||
| It
was a long time in arriving but TECH eventually recorded their first
league win of the season on Saturday when defeating visitors Redcar. With
the visitors already having four points before this match it was essential
that TECH recorded a victory to prevent themselves becoming further
detached at the foot of the table. Despite going behind virtually
from the kick off the home side hit back strongly and despite wobbling
near to the end of the game a last minute DONELLY try clinched the points. The visitors started the game playing with the advantage of the breeze and the slope. They made a highly charged start and on just three minutes opened their account. From a quickly taken penalty they recycled the ball quickly for stand off FOREMAN to break through a disorganised defence for a try which he then converted. The home side were to hit back quickly though and after making good ground through the pack an offence by Redcar at the scrummage saw Jon COLE make no mistake with the penalty kick. Fortunately for the home side the visitors were not as successful with a similar opportunity just minutes later. Despite their lowly league positions both sides were showing an ability and the inclination to attack whenever possible. Good home defence then saw them thwart Redcar as they drove over the line only to be held up. On fifteen minutes TECH took the lead. A break out and kick ahead by DONELLY was quickly followed up by COLE. The winger then showed some good football skills as he controlled the ball before crossing for the try. He then added the conversion to make the score 10-7. With the TECH pack looking far more determined than they did in their last game at North Shields the home side were having plenty of possession. After twenty five minutes more pressure saw the visitors again concede a penalty to the right of the posts, some 18 metres out. Jon COLE saw his effort travel right of the left hand upright but referee Nigel CARTWRIGHT ordered the kick to be retaken as a Redcar player had charged the kick. This time the kick went just wide of the right hand post. On the half hour the home side stretched the lead. A penalty kick to touch led to TECH winning the line out and from the resultant maul a powerful drive by Adam HOWARD saw him score a good unconverted try. The visitors were becoming rattled and four minutes before half time second row COOK was given a yellow card by Mr. CARTWRIGHT. TECH then made the most of the extra man by adding another unconverted try. A good diagonal run by full back DONNELY looked to be squeezing the space for winger FOSTER. Clever thinking by the winger saw him change the angle cutting back inside the defence before sprinting over from twenty five metres out. This score gave TECH a 20-7 lead at the interval.
|
The
visitors started the second period as they had the first scoring within
four minutes. They set up a rolling maul which TECH, for all their best
attempts could not stop resulting in the try. Both sides continued to throw caution to the wind but neither could make the vital break through. After ten minutes TECH made a change when they brought on Ian WILSON for Chris WILLIAMSON. This change saw WILSON go to fly half with CHESHIRE moving to scrum half. Shortly after this TECH were reduced to 14 men when SMART received a yellow card for his reaction to being punched. It was important that TECH recorded the next score but COLE again suffered as he fired another penalty wide of the posts on twenty minutes. He made up for this miss just minutes later when another penalty awarded against the visiting pack saw him make no mistake taking the score to 23-12. Redcar were not finished and on thirty minutes they won good line out ball. The ball was quickly moved along the backs to replacement BRYCE who scored in the corner to close the gap to 23-17. This set up a frantic last 10 minutes or so as the visitors looked to steal a game they had looked out of. TECH suddenly looked as if they doubted themselves and the visitors drove forward. On 36 minutes the visiting pack again drove a maul over the TECH line only to be held up. Several more scrums saw TECH scrambling to clear, especially as the visitors ran a penalty. To their credit all the home side were prepared to put their bodies on the line to keep their line intact. This effort saw them eventually hack the ball into touch just outside the 22. In an effort to win the game the visitors took a quick throw in. Nick DONELLY quickly made up ground to cover and then bravely gambled on intercepting the pass as Redcar tried to move the ball wide. His bravery was rewarded as he caught the ball and sprinted clear before scoring under the posts after rounding a last defender. Jon COLE easily added the two points to make the game safe for his side. This was a well deserved victory for TECH. Although they had one or two shaky moments the side as a whole showed far more resolution than in their last game. This victory should do home moral the world of good especially with another important game next week when they travel to Acklam, another side struggling at the bottom end of the table.
|
|