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Results for 23 January 2010
(H) NOERFC 1st XV 20 Walsall 1st XV 22
01. Adam Wilson, 02. Stuart Gibson, 03. Rob Lapsley, 04. Sam Garnham, 05. John Wayte, 06. Rob Tweed, 07. Ady Nightingale, 08. Paul Rees, 09. Paul Mitchell, 10. Greg Way, 11. Sven Brown, 12. Jody Peacock, 13. Ricky Hyslop, 14. Ashley Kalnins, 15. Adam Jones, 16. Craig Fielding, 17. Tom Simpson, 18. Tim Whitehouse
Tries: Paul Rees, Ashley Kalnins(2)
Cons: Jody Peacock
Pens: Jody Peacock
DEEP into second-half injury time, with Old Eds trailing by just two points, big centre Jody Peacock had a penalty chance to steal victory against Walsall.
But on a pitch churned into a quagmire after Friday's heavy rain he could only watch as his effort sailed agonisingly wide of the posts and Walsall could breathe again.
In a game of three distinct phases, Eds trailed 10-0 at one time, came back strongly to grab a half-time lead at 17-10 but were second best for most of the second half, when Walsall scored 12 points to the home side's three.
This latest defeat leaves Eds worryingly near the bottom of the Midlands 1 West league table with some testing games ahead.
Coach Paul Vowles was in no doubt that the next few weeks could be decisive. He said: "We need to start picking up a few wins or we will be in a relegation battle.
"Defensively we played really well. They had a lot of the play in the second half but we had a chance to win the game and we fluffed it.
"The conditions were poor but they were the same for both sides. This was a big improvement on last week, especially in our defence."
On the plus side for Eds were an assured performance at centre from Sven Brown, some determined running by winger Ashley Kalnins, who scored two tries, and the pack, as a unit, who never gave less than their all on a strength-sapping pitch.
Eds were behind as early as the first minute, when they conceded a penalty close in and Walsall gratefully accepted the chance to go ahead.
On 15 minutes Peacock was short with a long-range penalty shot and two minutes later a telegraphed pass was intercepted by a Walsall back and he streaked away, leaving Eds full-back Adam Jones with no chance of bringing him down. A simple conversion took Walsall 10 points clear.
Eds were now entering the best phase of the afternoon and scrum-half Paul Mitchell fed quickly to fly-half Greg Way. Jones had joined the line and he passed on to Brown, who stormed through his opposite number and Kalnins was up with him to tear around under the posts and give Peacock the easiest of kicks - 10-7 to Walsall.
The visitors rallied briefly but there was no denying Eds and on the half-hour a break by centre Ricky Hyslop gave Kalnins the chance to hack the ball over the Walsall line and win the race for the touchdown. Peacock's conversion shot was wide but Eds were now 12-10 ahead and looking good.
Two minutes into injury time their superiority was emphasised by a controlled forward drive over the Walsall line and No.8 Paul Rees was the man to make the score and give the home side a 17-10 half-time lead.
It was a different story in the second half and Walsall dominated for long periods. Heroic defence kept them out for 15 minutes, when sustained pressure on the Eds line resulted in an unconverted try to make it 17-15.
Eds fought back and after being laid out in a tackle on 20 minutes Peacock got up to fire over a penalty and put Eds 20-15 in the lead.
Five minutes later Eds flanker Rob Tweed was yellow-carded for a maul infringement and an injury to front-row replacement Tom Simpson resulted in uncontested scrums.
One man down, Eds were now forced back to their own line and on 32 minutes Walsall grabbed an inevitable try to level at 20-20.
The conversion attempt hit the crossbar before falling over the take Walsall into the lead.
Then came that dramatic moment as injury-time minutes seeped away. Eds drove play to the Walsall line and when the referee awarded them a penalty comfortably close for Peacock to win the game it looked as if they would snatch the points.
Players and home supporters alike could only stand and hope but Peacock's vital shot sailed wide.
On Saturday Eds are away to Bournville, second it the table. A takeover of another kind at the home of Cadbury becomes increasingly important.
Paul Webb
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M1W League Results
Saturday, 23 January 2010
Cheltenham North 22 - 13 Camp Hill
Dudley Kingswinford 6 - 9 Burton
Leamington 17 - 18 Bournville
Nuneaton Old Edwardians 20 - 22 Walsall
Old Halesonians P Sutton Coldfield
Stoke on Trent 13 - 15 Whitchurch
M1W League Table
(A) NOERFC 2nd XV 58 Barkers Butts 2nd XV 8
01. Lee Banwell, 02. Sam Wilson, 03. John Canner, 04. Tom Cotterill, 05. Simon Hall, 06. Matt Collins, 07. Stuart Holes, 08. Jon Cox, 09. Scott Pittam, 10. Duncan Carter, 11. James Wilson, 12. Alex Cape, 13. Pete Walton, 14. Steve Commane, 15. Jake Woodcock, 16. Ben Gilbert
Tries: Sam Wilson(2), Stuart Holes, Jon Cox, Scott Pittam, James Wilson(2), Alex Cape, Pete Walton, Jake Woodcock
Cons: Duncan Carter(2), James Wilson, Ben Gilbert
10 Try haul for 2�s at Barkers
Edwardians 2�s travelled to Barkers Butts for their first game since the 12th of December. The visitors were able to field a strong side with a number of players pushing for first team call up. Team - front row of Banwell , (Sam) Wilson and Cannon, second row of Hall and Cotterill and back row of Holes, Collins and Cox. The returning Pittam was at scrum half with Carter at fly half and centres of KP, and Walton. Wings Commane and (James) Wilson with Woodcock at Full back and Gilbert on the bench.
The home fixture earlier in the season had witnessed the 2�s log up over 100 points against Barkers and a backlash was expected from the boys from Coventry. If Ed�s players were not aware of the threat they were given an early wake up call. From a scrum mid way in the visitors half the back row broke away and offloaded in tackle to the centre who speed across the line to give the home side the early advantage.
The try boosted the home sides confidence and the forwards on both sides held nothing back in the exchanges that were fair and full of commitment. Ed�s had to earn every yard up front and starting to have the better of the exchanges. When the ball was released wide the home side were stretched and it was not long before a combination of rucks and moving the ball wide had the home side defence stretched to its limit. Sam Wilson was first to score after a break by Jon Cox, Carter converted from wide. Pita scored soon after following more good work from the forwards and again Carter converted from wide out.
Eds were flying and Walton crashed over in the centre of the field, which gave the visitors a 5 � 19 advantage. The home side were next to score that was a fortunate break, as the referee had not seen James Wilson pulled back off the ball that allowed the winger to score in the corner. The try added a little spice to the game and with the Eds forwards well on top in the set piece and the backs having quality ball it was only a matter of time before the Eds scored there 4th try of the half Sam Wilson going over for his second of the afternoon. This was followed by a fifth try when Woodc*ck crashed through a number of defenders to score. Half time was called as the backs threaten to throw more than handbags and the forwards joined the party. Eds had a 10 � 29 lead and both sides had a few mins to cool down.
Second half saw Gilbert replace Commane and 5 more tries for the visitors as the backs cut holes in the visitors defence KP was the first to score and then with the Eds under pressure in there 22 the ball was intercepted by Gilbert who sprinted to the opposition 22, drew the cover and passed to James Wilson to touch down under the posts, Wilson drop kicked the conversion to make the score 10 � 41.
The best try of the afternoon followed a break from Banwell deep in the 22 wide right he ball passed to Woodcock who took the ball to half way, the ball was spun inside through a number of pairs of hands at pace with the ball ending up in the hands of Holes who scored in the opposite corner of the field from were the move had started.
Eds were well on top an amusing maul infringement by Barkers who had two players penalised for offside positioned at the back of the Eds driving maul in a desperate attempt to stop the forwards inevitable try. This demonstrated the dominance the forwards had created. A quick tap penalty from 5 metres and Cox took the breath away from the opposition defence to make the score 10 �51. Barkers Captain at this stage requested an early finish having a number of walking wounded and 5mins was taken off the game time. Wilson scored soon after and the Referee ended the game leaving Gilbert to convert with the last kick of the game.
Final score 10 � 58.
Pete Banwell
Warwickshire League 1 Results
Earlsdon 2nds 20 - 48 Kenilworth 2nds
Stratford 2nds 70 - 10 Broadstreet 2nds
Nuneaton Old Eds 2nds - Barkers Butts 2nds
Old Laurentians 2nds 20 - 0 Old Coventrians 2nds
Leamington 2nds - Newbold 2nds
Warwickshire League 1 Table
(A) NOERFC 3rd XV 7 Earlsdon 3rd XV 19
01. Tom Pullen, 02. Paul Mayell, 03. Martin Perry, 04. Simon Aggus, 05. Nick Arnold, 06. Mark Mitchell, 07. Sean Krauth, 08. Tej Kalirai, 09. Tim Bristlin, 10. Andy Moffitt, 11. Stuart Neail, 12. Jez Hastings, 13. AJ Giddins, 14. Gary Bridgewater, 15. Matt Evans, 16. H Singh, 17. Phil Holder, 18. Simon Battams, 19. Pete Howley, 20. Ian Giddings
Tries: Sean Krauth
Cons: Matt Evans
Warwickshire League 4 Results
Earlsdon 3rds 19 - 7 Nuneaton Old Eds 3rds
Stoke Old Boys 2nds - Standard
Broadstreet 4ths - Coventry Welsh 2nds
Warwickshire League 4 Table
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Sunday 24 January 2010