1XV (M)
Matches
Sat 02 Dec 2017  ·  Yorkshire Division Two
Wetherby RUFC
1XV (M)
Tries: J Day, B Kitching , A Trotman, D WardenConversions: J Black, D WardenYellow Carded: T Bottomley
31
32
Halifax Vandals
Wetherby shocked by Vandals

Wetherby shocked by Vandals

Stephen Hoather4 Dec 2017 - 20:35
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"I used to play the Cello. Think of it as a large violin" - Harry Kaye (Alan Partridge)

After the familiar tale of a last minute loss at home last week, Wetherby were aiming to put their season back on course, against table-footers Halifax Vandals. With several absentees, Wetherby hosted their visitors with a mix and match squad including a completely new centre-pairing. After a valiant effort against one of the better teams in the league the week before however, confidence was high.

Wetherby started the game well as Danny Warden commanded the skies under a high ball, sticking a red flashing light on the end of his nose, like Rudolph, to warn low flying aeroplanes. With the bit between their teeth, the forwards carried the ball forward well and put Vandals under pressure. Wetherby forced their hand well and earned a scrum five metres from the Vandals line, which resulted in the almost inevitable penalty try. 7-0.

Halifax shot straight back, and clearly had ambitions of upsetting the Wetherby apple cart. Some stupid penalties were creeping back into the red and white’s game, and gave Vandals chance to kick their way into the Wetherby half through the goliath boot of their goliath fly-half. The away teams line-out formed well, and with poor defence from the home team, Vandals crashed over the try-line to get themselves back into the game. 7-5.

As the first half wore on, the Wetherby boys started to feel that their forwards were gaining dominance in their carries. Hooker Steve Hoather and headless chicken Mattie Chappell led the carrying as they smashed through the Vandals line. The pressure got Wetherby close to their visitors line, and Jonny Day finished the try by throwing himself at the line with all the vigour with which he throws his drinks on a night out. 14-5.

Wetherby fired down into the Halifax Vandals half again, through the boot of Harry Kaye and fired in more heavy artillery. Having had a stellar year in the scrum, Scotty Wallis was starting to add some big carries to his repertoire, which may earn him a new badge for him towels to go alongside his swimming badges. All was going swimmingly well, until a turnover exposed Steve Hoather and Andrew Trotman to a four man overlap. Despite Trotman’s best half-hearted effort, and Steve running like the pitch was made of treacle, Vandals capitalised and scored their second try of the game. 14-10.

With the game becoming a bitty affair, both teams had men sent to the sin-bin for cynical play. For the home side it was Tom Bottomley who caught the sharp side of the referee’s whistle. Despite being less vocal than in other weeks, he found himself on the wrong side of a ruck and felt the wrath of the referee. When he returned to the field he looked to make amends by sniping through the middle of the ruck, and was well supported by Bryn Kitching who grabbed his first try of the season, surpassing superstar Myles Oates’ season total of zero.

Half-Time: Wetherby 19-10 Halifax Vandals

The task seemed relatively simple in the second half. Kick on and get a bonus point, and try for once to close out the game. This ambition started well as Wetherby started the half playing some good rugby. Unfortunately every time the ball got to the right wing, Gareth Plant appeared to have hands like lettuce leaves. I think he had some over-elaborate story as to where he’d left his hands, but I didn’t catch it. Fortunately when the ball went left, Andrew Trotman’s hands were working as he converted more forward pressure into Wetherby’s bonus-point try. 26-10.

With Wetherby now two converted scores in front, they completely and utterly switched off. Flankers AJ Hills and Harry Freeman were having a torrid time around the fringes of the breakdown and Wetherby conceded two quick tries, both coming from some weak defending across the board. The tackling was generally lazy, and lacked the physicality shown last week against Cross, and allowed Vandals to wrestle the momentum back into their own hands. 26-22.

Despite Vandal’s having another man sent to the bin, the home side kept making error after error. A kick straight to touch from a ball passed back into the 22 allowed Vandals the platform for their effective maul, as they battered the Wetherby line again and took a deserved lead. This was followed by Vandals making huge yards as their impressive number 8 ran round the Wetherby defences returning the ball for their fly-half to drop a goal and extend their lead. 26-32.

Cometh the hour, cometh the man. Send in Sean Lally. SEAN BLOODY LALLY!? This was just the boost the rest of the lads needed, as it had clearly come to dire straits for Sean to be brought into the fray. Matt Harrison was so aggrieved by this move, he was actually seen moving at a canter into contact and gaining the reds some much needed yards. Another big pair of carries from Mattie Chappell and Steve Hoather got Wetherby close to the line, and captain Danny Warden stepped up and finished well to put Wetherby a kick away from winning the game. Unfortunately Danny couldn’t convert his kick as he tripped over his bumhole during his run up.
Full-Time: Wetherby 31-32 Halifax Vandals

A thoroughly frustrating loss. Losing is certainly a habit, and Wetherby’s habit is becoming a serious problem. Vandals wanted this game more and were deserved winners, although Wetherby have some serious questions to answer next week when they travel to Wath.

MoM: Steve Hoather – Carried well all game, and solid at the set-piece.
DoD: Tom Bottomley – Cards must be punished.

Match details

Match date

Sat 02 Dec 2017

Kickoff

14:15

Competition

Yorkshire Division Two

League position

11
Wetherby
13
Halifax Vandals
Team overview
Further reading