Match Reports
Late rally not enough
Wednesday 26th October 2011
Burnage 28 Morley 22
MORLEY played well in parts possibly did enough to win, but were let down by unforced errors, in their SSE National Three League North game last Saturday.Burnage are a muscular powerful side, well suited to playing on their narrow pitch. (6 metres narrower than Scatcherd Lane).
The opening five minutes were shaded by Burnage who took the lead after four minutes with a penalty by Adam Knight.
However Morley held them comfortably and began to make inroads into the Burnage half. Runs by Clough, Hall and Hough tested the Burnage defence.A penalty to the Burnage 22 highlighted one of the major problems of the day when Morley lost their own lineout.
However Morley held them comfortably and began to make inroads into the Burnage half. Runs by Clough, Hall and Hough tested the Burnage defence.A penalty to the Burnage 22 highlighted one of the major problems of the day when Morley lost their own lineout.
Gaz Moore gladly accepted the gift and broke speedily into the Morley half.
Spirited defending stopped the attack near the Maroons line but at the expense of a Burnage lineout 10 metres from the Morley line. Burnage showed how it should be done with a simple catch and drive to claim the first try, credited to Ollie Hewitt. This was followed shortly by a second penalty from Knight on 17 minutes when Morley strayed offside.
Morley woke up and good approach work from Hanson, Burke and Ashford forced Burnage to hang onto the tackler to concede a penalty. Simon Bradshaw stepped up to add Morley's first points after 23 minutes. This was followed 2 minutes later when Burnage were marched back 10 metres for disputing a penalty, Bradshaw again kicked the goal and Morley were back in the game at 13-6.
However, the good work was undone when a kick from just outside the 22 went directly into touch. From the resulting catch and drive, Morley held the initial surge, but weak tackling in the centre allowed Knight to breeze through for Burnages's second try, which he converted.Morley again took the game to Burnage, powerful bursts by Scott, Gabriel and Costello gained ground but their only reward was a 40th minute penalty by Bradshaw to end the half 18-9 down.
The Maroons started the second half confidently, Stephen Costello, though not fully fit, following his broken rib injury, played manfully, picking up from the scrum and gaining yards. Morley, however could not find the cutting edge to break down Burnage and were let down by losing their own throw ins when in Burnage territory.
Tom Clough supplied a piece of brilliance after 60 minutes with a superb break from the Home sides 22, handing off one would be tackler and outpacing the other two to dive over in the corner. Bradshaw has a good record in adding the conversions but the combination of an unusual playing surface (G3 Astroturf) and kicking from the touchline meant his effort went just wide, but at 18-17 the game was there for the taking.
Burnage began to drive the ball forward and a home penalty after 68 minutes extended their lead to 21-17. They then had a series of rolling mauls down their left wing. Morley defended desperately but had Gabriel sin-binned for collapsing a maul. A second offence two minutes later lead to the referee giving Burnage a penalty try which Knight converted to effectively put the game out of Morley's reach.
But Morley kept plugging away, and in the words of the Burnage President, scored the best try seen at Varley Park for several seasons.
Spirited defending stopped the attack near the Maroons line but at the expense of a Burnage lineout 10 metres from the Morley line. Burnage showed how it should be done with a simple catch and drive to claim the first try, credited to Ollie Hewitt. This was followed shortly by a second penalty from Knight on 17 minutes when Morley strayed offside.
Morley woke up and good approach work from Hanson, Burke and Ashford forced Burnage to hang onto the tackler to concede a penalty. Simon Bradshaw stepped up to add Morley's first points after 23 minutes. This was followed 2 minutes later when Burnage were marched back 10 metres for disputing a penalty, Bradshaw again kicked the goal and Morley were back in the game at 13-6.
However, the good work was undone when a kick from just outside the 22 went directly into touch. From the resulting catch and drive, Morley held the initial surge, but weak tackling in the centre allowed Knight to breeze through for Burnages's second try, which he converted.Morley again took the game to Burnage, powerful bursts by Scott, Gabriel and Costello gained ground but their only reward was a 40th minute penalty by Bradshaw to end the half 18-9 down.
The Maroons started the second half confidently, Stephen Costello, though not fully fit, following his broken rib injury, played manfully, picking up from the scrum and gaining yards. Morley, however could not find the cutting edge to break down Burnage and were let down by losing their own throw ins when in Burnage territory.
Tom Clough supplied a piece of brilliance after 60 minutes with a superb break from the Home sides 22, handing off one would be tackler and outpacing the other two to dive over in the corner. Bradshaw has a good record in adding the conversions but the combination of an unusual playing surface (G3 Astroturf) and kicking from the touchline meant his effort went just wide, but at 18-17 the game was there for the taking.
Burnage began to drive the ball forward and a home penalty after 68 minutes extended their lead to 21-17. They then had a series of rolling mauls down their left wing. Morley defended desperately but had Gabriel sin-binned for collapsing a maul. A second offence two minutes later lead to the referee giving Burnage a penalty try which Knight converted to effectively put the game out of Morley's reach.
But Morley kept plugging away, and in the words of the Burnage President, scored the best try seen at Varley Park for several seasons.
The move started by quick thinking Koby Gyasi who opted for a quick throw in near the Morley line. The ball sped through the backs until it reached Simon Bradshaw 10 metres from the Morley line on the opposite wing.
Sensing an opportunity, he immediately attacked his opposing wing, chipped the ball over him and re collected then sprinted down the touchline outpacing the covering defence to score, he was unable to convert the extra points with the last kick of the match, but at least the Maroons had come away with a losing bonus point.
Sensing an opportunity, he immediately attacked his opposing wing, chipped the ball over him and re collected then sprinted down the touchline outpacing the covering defence to score, he was unable to convert the extra points with the last kick of the match, but at least the Maroons had come away with a losing bonus point.