Sat 18 Jan 2003
Uttoxeter – 7
Old Saltleians – 38
Uttoxeter continue to struggle in the basement of the Midlands 4 (West) North league after suffering yet another defeat to in-form opponents.
Victory for Old Saltleians at Oldfields on Saturday allows them to carry on their onward march towards championship glory.
The town players put in a gutsy performance, but were once more found wanting in defence and unable to hang on to the ball at crucial moments.
Without a doubt, the visiting Old Saltleians are the best side in the league at the moment, with their big, efficient pack complementing a pacy and well-drilled back division.
They also have the noisiest supporters, who must surely make for the throat lozenges after every match.
Uttoxeter missed their most prolific tackler Jason Cabrera, who was injured against Tamworth the previous week.
However, his fellow flanker Mike Ball was as immense as always, while Steve Palmer returned to the second row and had a superb match until his game ended prematurely due to a painful wrist injury.
In the calmest weather conditions for several weeks, Uttoxeter started in fine style to put on pressure from the whistle, then surviving an Old Salts barrage, before breaking away downfield on a counter attack following a turnover of possession, Matt Williams being just unable to shrug off his pursuers.
Although full back Chris Bassett was solid in defence, the town side were at times like salmon trying to swim against the current as the red and yellow jerseys swallowed them up at source.
The deadlock broken on 20 minutes when possession was quickly spun out from an Old Salts scrummage.
Winger Anthony Turner provided the deadly finish as he went scorching in for the visitors' first try, which full back Ali Hope converted.
Uttoxeter almost replied with a try of their own, following the re-start, skipper Tony Ball chip kicking over the cover for Matt Williams to chase.
But the centre was just beaten to the touchdown by full back Hope, who was able to minor the ball safely for the visitors.
Old Salts then launched another slick handling move upfield, the ball reaching Lee Coton, who looked to be covered by the defence.
But the strong running centre wriggled free to dart in for another five pointer close to the posts, to which Hope again added the two conversion points.
Uttoxeter won possession at a defensive scrum just before half time, only to lose it again when the ball came out sloppily.
Salts needed no second invitation to snatch it up and move possession quickly right for winger Anthony Turner to go racing home for his second try at the corner flag, and give the visitors a 19-point lead at the break.
Early in the second period more sustained pressure by Old Salts was defended solidly for some minutes by Uttoxeter, until a concerted shove at a set scrum enabled No 8 Anthony Brown to power over for the visitors' fourth try in the right corner, once again turning the pressure into points.
Hooker Dean Hayes made a return to action at this point, following some weeks out with injury, with Nick Smith replacing the luckless Steve Palmer shortly afterwards.
But along with the others, neither of them was able to stop the flying Turner from galloping home for his hat-trick try in the right corner.
Turner's brother Luke, on the Saltleians' other wing, then showed his agility when the No 11 pounced on a disastrous defensive error by Uttoxeter, snatching up a loose ball, smartly eluding a tackle with a neat little jink before racing in for a solo try close to the posts, leaving Hope the simplest of conversions.
The game may have been all over as a contest but Uttoxeter, despite having the injured Andy Gagie as a passenger and no backs to replace him, nonetheless took play upfield with some excellent handling.
After running a couple of penalties they finally gained a consolation score when Andrew Moult, who had replaced Gareth Davies at loose head, plunged over for a deserved try, to which captain Tony Ball added the conversion on the final whistle.
As one of Uttoxeter's former club captains, the legendary Colin Morfitt, who watched the proceedings from the touchline observed: "There was not that much between the two sides in ability, it was all a matter of self belief, execution and the visitors being hungrier for the ball on the day."
This week Uttoxeter make the long trek to Ludlow for another league encounter.
They will be hoping that injuries to Palmer and Gagie will not be too serious to add to their catalogue of setbacks this term.
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