League Match-Midlands 5 West North
29 Sep 2007
Cannock vs Aldridge
Although we had the advantages of a considerable
slope and managed to back Cannock up against their goal line for long periods,
it was unimaginative fare and we failed to raise the pace to the urgency
required to breach the Cannock line. They withstood the siege and right-winger
Darren Rhodes, following up a speculative clearance kick, took full advantage
of some flaky defence to score in the corner. It was more of the same from
us and we soon had the home side back on the defensive but they increased
their lead further with another break out, this time from left winger Craig
Ratcliffe, who shook off the attentions of our cover to make a long run
into the far corner. We did eventually translate our territorial advantages
into points, when Lennie Jaep (who else?) crashed through just on half time
and, immediately after the re-start, we equalised the scores with a determined
forward drive up the right and quick ball through the hands put Dan Hall
over in the opposite corner. Cannock were now showing greater invention
behind the scrum and exploited some poor tackling that put Ratcliffe through
the centre for his second try. We were struggling to gain territory against
the slope but were eventually rewarded for our efforts when Alex Yates fielded
a wayward clearance kick from the opposition and ran it back with pace outside
the cover defence to squeeze in just inside the corner flag. The home side
began to demonstrate more enterprise and slowly began to attain the ascendancy
that increasingly stretched our tiring defence that left us vulnerable to
two late tries from flanker Gary Evans and prop Steven Shiner. Peter Ball
converted both.
Final score: - Cannock 29points- Aldridge 15points
Scorers:-
Aldridge: - - Tries - Lennie Jaep, Alex Yates, Dan Hall
Cannock:-Tries - Darren Rhodes, Craig Ratcliffe (2), Gary Evans, Steven Skinner. Conversions: Peter Ball (2)
3,2,1
3 pts -Ben Pittam
2 pts - Phil Manders
1 pts -Alex Yates
Second Team Result:- Aldridge nil pts - Cannock 13 pts
Scorers:- Try -
Next week Aldridge have a league match at home to FWOE. Kick Off 3pm
