Sat 13 Nov 2021
Another loss for Uttoxeter
Newcastle (Staffs) 38
Uttoxeter 5
The men from Oldfields will again be wondering how they look so good for large patches but lose so badly on the scoreboard, as they continue to find that elusive on-field win.
After last weekends walkover win against Old Salts, coach Donald Hayes had a good squad to choose from and started with Nathan Fletcher and Sam Woolley at prop, with captain Jake Cabrera at hooker. Gregor Hayes and Tom Hayes started in the second row again with Aaron Lakin and Joe Gorman on the flanks and Callum Shaw at number 8. Daz Banton and Ben Marshall made up the 9 and 10, Tom Sherratt played centre with Henry Knox, Mark Springall returned to the starting 15 and joined Tom Gallimore on the wings, with Sam Bassett at full back. On the bench, Jack Bostock covered the front row after a successful stint at fly-half for the 2nd team, Joel Walkaden returned from a hand injury of his own creation and Luke Bebbington covered every other position on the park.
A minutes silence to commemorate Remembrance day was perfectly observed by players and spectators alike at Lilleshall Road, before kick off from the boys in orange started proceedings.
The game was very open in the preliminary stages and it was Newcastle who troubled the scoreboard, using their rapid backs and sensible kicking game to pin Uttoxeter back. Newcastle scored 4 tries in the opening 25 minutes to take a stranglehold of the contest. A culmination of poor handling, individual errors and strange officiating meant Uttoxeter had a mountain to climb and momentum to overcome.
Uttoxeter responded well and in typical fashion, bullying the opposition pack in the set piece and playing with guile and passion in the backs. The final 15 minutes of the half were all Uttoxeter, prodding and probing around the Newcastle 22, but all too often this season the Town team's endeavour has not been rewarded with tries, and so it proved again as half time came and went without the away team troubling the scoreline.
Joel Walkaden replaced Callum Shaw at half time and, after a rousing half time speech from Coach Hayes, the second half kicked off with an optimism that the away side could get something from the game. It almost seemed like it would happen as well after a quick second half score from the evergreen Mark Springall. Continuing to dominate proceedings after the restart, quick rucking and quicker hands gave Springall the chances to spin away from two would-be tackles and stretch over the line and touch down in the corner. The conversion missed, but there was renewed optimism that the side could chip away at the deficit.
Uttoxeter's substitutes rolled on as Bebbington replaced Fletcher, but he could do nothing to stop another silly try was conceded as the team switched off from the restart. The ball went up, the ball came down, nobody caught it, the ball rolled on the floor, the Newcastle forwards collected it, popped 2 passes and the flanker ran it in under the sticks. The game was effectively killed as a contest, and Uttoxeter were playing for pride for the final 30 minutes.
To be fair to the Oldfields outfit, they played with their heart on their sleeves and dominated the rest of the game. Jack Bostock got back into the first team picture replacing Captain Cabrera, and Shaw replaced Springall. But if there was ever a lesson about being clinical at this level, it was in this half of rugby, as time and time again the side got close to scoring but couldn't finish their chances. The team started to get desperate and taking risks, and one of those risks didn't pay off. A kick from within the 5 metre was charged down by the Newcastle pack, and they scored another try under the sticks to end the game with 6 tries and a 38-5 win.
Newcastle were good value and good hosts, Uttoxeter will have to lick their wounds before another away day to Stourbridge Lions next weekend.
Elsewhere, Uttoxeter 2nd XV had their game called off against Longton at the 11th hour which has been rearranged for April, whilst the combined Leek/Uttoxeter Colts beat Tamworth away 15-17 to continue their impressive season.
