Post by simonwilson on May 25, 2011 15:08:48 GMT
Birmingham Bulldogs 30 Outlaws 24
Sunday 22nd May
Aston Old Edwardians RFC
Weather: High winds, threat of rain.
First minute: Schoolboy error as we let the ball bounce to touch and conceded a scrum in our 20.
Second minute: Try to Birmingham despite some great defence.
We defended well on the Birmingham set and then took the action back to them with a great run from Dan Hyams. Quick hands from Jamal McKenzie and Peter Wilson saw the ball go wide and we were into our stride and playing good rugby. On the return set big hits from Joe Frobisher, Rory Mason, Eryn Ford, Morgan Corker and Callum Wynne showed we weren’t going to be bullied despite the superior size of the Bulldogs. At the end of the next set we chased the kick and pinned them in their 20 but conceded momentum with a penalty for markers not being square.
Eventually, Peter Wilson’s kick, assisted by the swirling wind, forced a knock on. Morgan Corker and David Barron took it on. A penalty for a high tackle saw us close to the line and Rory Mason burst through to score on 17 minutes, bringing it to 6-4, which was a fair reward for the pressure we applied.
Twentieth minute: We let the Birmingham kick bounce and go dead, forcing us to take a goal line drop out into the wind.
Twenty first minute: Birmingham ran back through to score and convert. 12-4.
Twenty fifth minute: They ran onto a cross field kick and went over to score again. It was a quality try, and the first one that didn’t come from our mistakes. 18-4.
Isa Cashmore opened up and made a good run. The ball was knocked loose in a tackle. Zak White tidied up. Then Alex Betts showed a great turn of speed to find a gap and score his first try in his first ever game of rugby. As debuts go, it wasn’t bad. And Mackenzie Lang converted.
As the clock ran down we fumbled the ball in our own 20 and Birmingham’s big runner ghosted through from the scrum with hardly a hand laid on him for another well-worked try.
With ten of our seventeen being new to Rugby League and two being new to any form of Rugby, it was a creditable first half.
Half time: 24 – 10
Despite the score we still had plenty left to give and now the wind and slope were in our favour. Within minutes a Birmingham player was sin-binned for kicking one of ours on the floor – a sure sign of a man under pressure - and we added to that in the third minute after Callum Wynne broke the line at speed from the penalty and Rory Mason cut through to score. 24 – 14.
As we started to dominate the game, preventing Birmingham crossing the gain line more and more, Alex Betts secured a loose ball on the floor, Mackenzie Lang took a good run at the opposition and Peter Wilson chipped ahead and forced a goal line drop out into the wind. The boot really was on the other foot now and Outlaws were turning the screws.
A couple of trademark hits from Isa Cashmore showed our intentions and suddenly the Bulldogs players found themselves giving ground to the smaller Outlaws side. Jamal Mckenzie forced a Bulldogs attack to touch and we were threatening the line again. Mackenzie Lang broke the line but all too soon we were defending again.
Isa Cashmore was held up over the line. A minute later he was back again with a killer finish and we were definitely back in touch. 24 – 18.
In a confused ten minutes Birmingham were denied a try for a double movement, we saw big hits from Damian Jameson, Jack Wilkinson, Nic Mouj and Joe Frobisher and a heel tap from Isa Cashmore that denied Birmingham a certain try. We also fell victim to white line fever with two good chances squandered on the line.
Bulldogs continued to test our defence, but it held. David Barron, George Larmond and Zak White ensured we kept them out but a break down the wing left us for dead and with two supporting runners they passed on the line to avoid our last defender – a great team finish. 30 -18.
We kept working hard. Nic Mouj made a great take from fast and unsympathetic offload and Morgan Corker showed a great example of one-handed control from another wild pass as we continued to play skilful rugby under pressure. Damian Jameson secured a dropped ball and Dan Hyams tackled twice within seconds.
As full time loomed a Birmingham error at the play the ball gave us a scrum in good attacking position and Mackenzie Lang crossed then added the extras to make it 30-24.
It was close (five tries each) and it was certainly there for us to win, but Bulldogs kept it together and made all their conversions in a well-deserved win. We, meanwhile, have some lessons to learn.
Team: Barron, Betts, Cashmore I, Corker, Ford, Frobisher, Hyams, Jameson, Lang, Larmond, Mckenzie, Mason, Mouj, White, Wilkinson, Wilson (C), Wynne.
Tries: Mason (7, 33), Betts (26), Cashmore (47), Lang (60)
Conversions: Lang (2)
Sunday 22nd May
Aston Old Edwardians RFC
Weather: High winds, threat of rain.
First minute: Schoolboy error as we let the ball bounce to touch and conceded a scrum in our 20.
Second minute: Try to Birmingham despite some great defence.
We defended well on the Birmingham set and then took the action back to them with a great run from Dan Hyams. Quick hands from Jamal McKenzie and Peter Wilson saw the ball go wide and we were into our stride and playing good rugby. On the return set big hits from Joe Frobisher, Rory Mason, Eryn Ford, Morgan Corker and Callum Wynne showed we weren’t going to be bullied despite the superior size of the Bulldogs. At the end of the next set we chased the kick and pinned them in their 20 but conceded momentum with a penalty for markers not being square.
Eventually, Peter Wilson’s kick, assisted by the swirling wind, forced a knock on. Morgan Corker and David Barron took it on. A penalty for a high tackle saw us close to the line and Rory Mason burst through to score on 17 minutes, bringing it to 6-4, which was a fair reward for the pressure we applied.
Twentieth minute: We let the Birmingham kick bounce and go dead, forcing us to take a goal line drop out into the wind.
Twenty first minute: Birmingham ran back through to score and convert. 12-4.
Twenty fifth minute: They ran onto a cross field kick and went over to score again. It was a quality try, and the first one that didn’t come from our mistakes. 18-4.
Isa Cashmore opened up and made a good run. The ball was knocked loose in a tackle. Zak White tidied up. Then Alex Betts showed a great turn of speed to find a gap and score his first try in his first ever game of rugby. As debuts go, it wasn’t bad. And Mackenzie Lang converted.
As the clock ran down we fumbled the ball in our own 20 and Birmingham’s big runner ghosted through from the scrum with hardly a hand laid on him for another well-worked try.
With ten of our seventeen being new to Rugby League and two being new to any form of Rugby, it was a creditable first half.
Half time: 24 – 10
Despite the score we still had plenty left to give and now the wind and slope were in our favour. Within minutes a Birmingham player was sin-binned for kicking one of ours on the floor – a sure sign of a man under pressure - and we added to that in the third minute after Callum Wynne broke the line at speed from the penalty and Rory Mason cut through to score. 24 – 14.
As we started to dominate the game, preventing Birmingham crossing the gain line more and more, Alex Betts secured a loose ball on the floor, Mackenzie Lang took a good run at the opposition and Peter Wilson chipped ahead and forced a goal line drop out into the wind. The boot really was on the other foot now and Outlaws were turning the screws.
A couple of trademark hits from Isa Cashmore showed our intentions and suddenly the Bulldogs players found themselves giving ground to the smaller Outlaws side. Jamal Mckenzie forced a Bulldogs attack to touch and we were threatening the line again. Mackenzie Lang broke the line but all too soon we were defending again.
Isa Cashmore was held up over the line. A minute later he was back again with a killer finish and we were definitely back in touch. 24 – 18.
In a confused ten minutes Birmingham were denied a try for a double movement, we saw big hits from Damian Jameson, Jack Wilkinson, Nic Mouj and Joe Frobisher and a heel tap from Isa Cashmore that denied Birmingham a certain try. We also fell victim to white line fever with two good chances squandered on the line.
Bulldogs continued to test our defence, but it held. David Barron, George Larmond and Zak White ensured we kept them out but a break down the wing left us for dead and with two supporting runners they passed on the line to avoid our last defender – a great team finish. 30 -18.
We kept working hard. Nic Mouj made a great take from fast and unsympathetic offload and Morgan Corker showed a great example of one-handed control from another wild pass as we continued to play skilful rugby under pressure. Damian Jameson secured a dropped ball and Dan Hyams tackled twice within seconds.
As full time loomed a Birmingham error at the play the ball gave us a scrum in good attacking position and Mackenzie Lang crossed then added the extras to make it 30-24.
It was close (five tries each) and it was certainly there for us to win, but Bulldogs kept it together and made all their conversions in a well-deserved win. We, meanwhile, have some lessons to learn.
Team: Barron, Betts, Cashmore I, Corker, Ford, Frobisher, Hyams, Jameson, Lang, Larmond, Mckenzie, Mason, Mouj, White, Wilkinson, Wilson (C), Wynne.
Tries: Mason (7, 33), Betts (26), Cashmore (47), Lang (60)
Conversions: Lang (2)