Sat 29 Sep 2018, 15:00
Uttoxeter RFC kept their unbeaten home record intact with a 10 – 10 draw against Eccleshall.
Uttoxeter started brightly and an early Sam Bassett break from his own 22 deep into Eccleshall’s half suggested the game was going to be open and fast; however this proved not to be the case. Uttoxeter’s early ascendancy fell away and as the home side failed to put together sufficient patterns of play Eccleshall gained a foot hold. With 15 minutes on the clock Eccleshall’s centre broke through a gap in Uttoxeter’s midfield to cross over the line for an unconverted try to make the score 0 -5.
James Deaville was then forced off the field off play and was replaced by club stalwart and fan favourite James Williams.
The match became a battle of attrition with neither side really impsosing on the match, Uttoxeter showed sparks of what they were capable of but any time they looked to gain any momentum they conceded too many penalties and failed to build up any substantial pressure.
The visitors extended their lead through their pack on the half hour mark, setting up a driving maul from a lineout Eccleshall edged forward before they broke from the rear to touch down on the blindside.
Uttoxeter decided to make it a bit more difficult for themselves by going down to 14 men when scrum half Tom Gallimore saw yellow for use of the forearm when taking contact.
With the numerical advantage Eccleshall looked to extend their lead making the use of an overlap to enable their winger to touch down in the corner. However play was brought back as the winger stepped into touch prior to touching the ball down.
Uttoxeter’s strongest opportunity came when winger Mark Springall broke from deep inside his own 22. Springall sprinted into Eccleshall’s half before chipping over a cover tackle, all the Eccleshall fullback could do was scoop the ball up and run into touch as Springall closed the space down. Uttoxeter failed to maximize from the linout on the 5 meter line as Eccleshall won the ball and the line were cleared as the lineout began to become an increasingly frustrating aspect of play for the hosts.
Half time Uttoxeter 0 – 10 Eccleshall
As the second half progressed Uttoxeter began to claw their way back into the game, with the penalty count decreasing Eccleshall were given little opportunity and mid way through the half Uttoxeter finally broke through Jake Cabrera received the ball out wide and rushed into Eccleshall’s half before drawing a man to release Bassett up the wing. Fullback Bassett accelerated up the right ring beating the cover on the outside before cutting back infield to touch the ball down under the posts. Tom Sherratt added the extras to make the score Uttoxeter 7 – 10 Eccleshall.
Shortly afterwards Captain Cabrera saw yellow for handling in the ruck and Uttoxeter’s progressed stalled. In the final 10 minutes Uttoxeter were dominating proceedings as they finally began to impose their patterns on the match. Tom Sherratt and Ezra Doughty-Thorpe both made probing runs through the Eccleshall line but were unable to break through. Shortly after Cabrera returned from the bin two more cards were dished out. UTtoxeter’s Bassett saw yellow along with Eccleshall’s flanker.
Uttoxeter throught they taken the lead when winger Mark Springall broke through a tackle to dive over the line however in similar fashion to Eccleshall in the first half his try was disallowed for a foot in touch. With 4 minutes on the clock Uttoxeter were awarded a penalty on the 22 right in front of the posts. Cabrera opted to go for goal to make the score all square at 10 a piece, with Uttoxeter playing the better rugby it looked like momentum was with them and the game was for the taking.
Uttoxeter continued to pile on the pressure and with flanker James Gill twice stealing the ball at the lineout inside Ecclshall’s 22 it seemed everything was working for Uttoxeter however Eccleshall’s defence remained well organised and Uttoxeter failed to land the killer blow and the game ended all square at 10 a piece.
Man Of The Match Jake Cabrera
Nigel Halls comments to follow
1 S Woolley ( Off 55 A Lakin)
2 J Bostock
3 A Smith
4 T Lampitt
5 T Carr
6 J Batista-Cabrera
7 J Gill
8 D Henderson
9 T Gallimore
10 T Hayes
11 M Springall
12 T Sherratt
13 J Deaville (Off 17 Williams)
14 C Eames (Off 40 Doughty-Thorpe)
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