Match Reports
Bradshaw again bags the points
Saturday 13th March 2010
Morley 18 Chester 6
MORLEY maintained the pressure on National Three North leaders Stockport with this hard-fought victory over fourth-placed Chester at Scatcherd Lane.
The Maroons remain second, five points behind Stockport with a game in hand.
Once again the points were all scored by Simon Bradshaw, landing two tries, two penalties and a conversion. The winger with the accurate right foot and a fine turn of pace is keen to hold onto the league's top scorer tag, having taken his account to 15 tries and 75 successful kicks at goal, but his efforts on Saturday came on the back of a terrific team effort.
Craig Field again led his side from the front, getting in the thick of some unforgiving Chester tackling, while there was plenty of creative play from scrum-half Sean Dadswell and lively centres Liam Frost and Michael Ash, seeking to move the ball around the field. Bradley Marshall, coming in for Chris Morgan, made his mark trying to get his side on the offensive.
The home side dominated for long periods and a 10-minute spell at the start of the second half was the only time Chester threatened to score.
All Morley had to show for their pressure in the first half was two Bradshaw penalties. Needless to say it's Morley's inferior bonus points tally, which is the difference between themselves and leaders Stockport, so they need to be making more of their chances.
In the first two minutes Chester infringed at a scrum but Bradshaw pulled his long angled kick wide.
Almost immediately Morley had to thank full-back Scott Evans for some quick reactions, bundling centre Rhys Hayes into touch to halt a dangerous breakaway by the visitors after they intercepted a telegraphed Morley pass.
The Maroons were strong in the scrums and Mark Chester and Frost linked well to get the ball across field but the visitors easily closed down the potential Morley overlap.
Morley controlled the pace of the game and Chester's frustrations led to Bradshaw being awarded a comfortable penalty in front of the posts after 17 minutes. He doubled Morley's lead with a 22nd minute penalty, which he landed from 40 metres.
Morley's reliable front row of Alan Benn, James Darbyshire and Paul Gabriel, worked hard to help keep the pressure on but the Chester defence held firm on their line. Morley weren't helped when a promising move was brought back by referee Jonathan Evans to penalise a Chester player.
It says much about the sense of urgency Morley felt as half-time approached when Mark Chester made a drop-goal attempt which fell just wide.
Morley won good ball from lineouts and some of their mauls were textbook but they just could not break the visitors' defence.
At the start of the second half Chester came out resurgent and were quickly on the scoresheet, Simon Verbickas landing a penalty after Morley strayed offside at a scrum.
Once again the points were all scored by Simon Bradshaw, landing two tries, two penalties and a conversion. The winger with the accurate right foot and a fine turn of pace is keen to hold onto the league's top scorer tag, having taken his account to 15 tries and 75 successful kicks at goal, but his efforts on Saturday came on the back of a terrific team effort.
Craig Field again led his side from the front, getting in the thick of some unforgiving Chester tackling, while there was plenty of creative play from scrum-half Sean Dadswell and lively centres Liam Frost and Michael Ash, seeking to move the ball around the field. Bradley Marshall, coming in for Chris Morgan, made his mark trying to get his side on the offensive.
The home side dominated for long periods and a 10-minute spell at the start of the second half was the only time Chester threatened to score.
All Morley had to show for their pressure in the first half was two Bradshaw penalties. Needless to say it's Morley's inferior bonus points tally, which is the difference between themselves and leaders Stockport, so they need to be making more of their chances.
In the first two minutes Chester infringed at a scrum but Bradshaw pulled his long angled kick wide.
Almost immediately Morley had to thank full-back Scott Evans for some quick reactions, bundling centre Rhys Hayes into touch to halt a dangerous breakaway by the visitors after they intercepted a telegraphed Morley pass.
The Maroons were strong in the scrums and Mark Chester and Frost linked well to get the ball across field but the visitors easily closed down the potential Morley overlap.
Morley controlled the pace of the game and Chester's frustrations led to Bradshaw being awarded a comfortable penalty in front of the posts after 17 minutes. He doubled Morley's lead with a 22nd minute penalty, which he landed from 40 metres.
Morley's reliable front row of Alan Benn, James Darbyshire and Paul Gabriel, worked hard to help keep the pressure on but the Chester defence held firm on their line. Morley weren't helped when a promising move was brought back by referee Jonathan Evans to penalise a Chester player.
It says much about the sense of urgency Morley felt as half-time approached when Mark Chester made a drop-goal attempt which fell just wide.
Morley won good ball from lineouts and some of their mauls were textbook but they just could not break the visitors' defence.
At the start of the second half Chester came out resurgent and were quickly on the scoresheet, Simon Verbickas landing a penalty after Morley strayed offside at a scrum.
The visitors were level when the same player scored another penalty shortly afterwards following a forward pass by Morley.
Verbickas was involved when the game turned towards the home side. His knock-on led to a scrum and when the ball emerged Liam Frost broke clean away and, with the cover tacklers approaching, he kicked across the field for the lurking Bradshaw to pounce and score in the corner. His tough angled conversion was missed.
The best try was saved for last when, after 58 minutes, Chester full-back Mike Greatbanks allowed the ball to run loose.
Ash seized the chance, in a tight spot he found the dangerous Bradshaw, who outpaced two men, with further defenders bearing down on him, he chipped them twice before stretching to the line for a terrific try, which he also converted to give Morley a comfortable 18-6 lead.
Ash linked well with Danny Chamberlain and Will Nutbeen across the field but on this occasion when the ball reached Bradshaw he was smothered by Chester players.
Morley's win was deserved but they will be looking for more than that when they travel to Cleckheaton on Saturday.
Morley: Evans, Marshall, Frost; Ash, Bradshaw: Chester, S Dadswell; Gabriel, Darbyshire, Benn, Stannard, Chamberlain, Nutbeen, P Dadswell. Reps: Treco, Burke, Smyth.
Chester: P Coy, Greatbanks. Lawton, Verbickas, Lyon; Hayes, Farrell; Davies, Gill, Sproston, Pigott, Sanger, Brown, Moore, White. Reps: Owen, Hickey, Chappell.
Referee: Jonathan Evans.
Verbickas was involved when the game turned towards the home side. His knock-on led to a scrum and when the ball emerged Liam Frost broke clean away and, with the cover tacklers approaching, he kicked across the field for the lurking Bradshaw to pounce and score in the corner. His tough angled conversion was missed.
The best try was saved for last when, after 58 minutes, Chester full-back Mike Greatbanks allowed the ball to run loose.
Ash seized the chance, in a tight spot he found the dangerous Bradshaw, who outpaced two men, with further defenders bearing down on him, he chipped them twice before stretching to the line for a terrific try, which he also converted to give Morley a comfortable 18-6 lead.
Ash linked well with Danny Chamberlain and Will Nutbeen across the field but on this occasion when the ball reached Bradshaw he was smothered by Chester players.
Morley's win was deserved but they will be looking for more than that when they travel to Cleckheaton on Saturday.
Morley: Evans, Marshall, Frost; Ash, Bradshaw: Chester, S Dadswell; Gabriel, Darbyshire, Benn, Stannard, Chamberlain, Nutbeen, P Dadswell. Reps: Treco, Burke, Smyth.
Chester: P Coy, Greatbanks. Lawton, Verbickas, Lyon; Hayes, Farrell; Davies, Gill, Sproston, Pigott, Sanger, Brown, Moore, White. Reps: Owen, Hickey, Chappell.
Referee: Jonathan Evans.
© Angela Walker Morley Observer & Advertiser
