Mariners dig deep for victory
Winchester III 17-22 Lymington
Lymington Mariners travelled to Winchester last Saturday to face their 3rd team in a clash to decide who would end the weekend second in the Hampshire Merit 2 league.
With a large number of regulars missing from the side Mariners knew they were going to be up against it before the game even started. Fortunately the club has now grown to the point where it has an excellent pool of players to call on and with Simon Nuding, Justin Bloomfield, Charlie Cutler and others stepping up to the mark as well as starting debut from Callum Kellas the side was ready to take the fight to Winchester.
The game kicked off and play for the first ten minutes appeared to be set on slow motion. It wasn’t clear whether this was the heavy pitch, the journey not having been expelled from the Mariners’ legs or just the northern air playing havoc with their lungs. Whatever the reason, it took some time and some rousing words from captain Owen Cavell for Lymington to find a higher gear.
Despite constant illegal handling in the ruck from the Winchester pack thwarting Lymington’s efforts to recycle the ball, the back line started to see enough of it to make some penetrating runs at the opposition, most notably from Phil Jenner with his customary juggernaut-esque rampages round the fringes. Half way through the first period the Mariner pack went on a charge, won a quick ruck and the ball was spun to fly-half Joe Rodway. Looking back inside for a quick pop to No.8 Lee Thomas the defence converged on the charging forward only to realise too late that Joe hadn’t actually released the ball but had sold them an outrageous dummy, sprinted through the gap and with ease rounded the full back to touch down under the posts. Joe also kicked the extra two and Lymington were up by 7.
However the lead didn’t last more than a few minutes as Winchester came straight back at Lymington from the restart, winning possession, spinning it out to their backs for their winger to touch down in the corner. An excellently struck conversion levelled the score and the game was most definitely on.
Possession and territory see-sawed between the two teams but the telling factor on more than one occasion was, what can only be described as, the ballistic Jamie Bolwell chasing Rodway’s kicks at somewhere approaching the speed of sound and not slowing down until after he had run through the knees of the receiving defender. Three Winchester players had to leave the field on separate occasions for treatment having bean ‘Bolwelled’.
Late in the first half Mariners were camped deep in a Winchester corner. Dom Ellis for the umpteenth time dominated at the front of the line-out, the ball was sent wide to Joe Rodway who like a berserker on speed crashed back in to the forwards, came through the other side unscathed and crossed the line slamming the ball down so hard for the try there is a small trench in a foreign field that will now always be Lymington. The whistle soon after went for half time with the Mariners leading 7-12.
The second half couldn’t have got off to a worse start for Lymington as Winchester kicked deep, took advantage of some scrappy defending and touched down for their second try. The conversion was kicked and soon after so was a penalty to give them ten unanswered early points and a 17-12 lead.
Sometime during this phase of Winchester dominance Simon Nuding at full back retired hurt. His replacement Jack Dovey, with his allergy to the high ball, came on squealing incredulously at being asked to play at 15 and so with another reshuffle found himself packing down at flanker whilst Lee Thomas reclaimed his ‘ultimate utility back’ crown and slipped in at full back.
Despite falling behind, the Lymington players kept their heads up, rallied round each other and as a unit took it right back to Winchester full of belief that they were not going to denied a victory. Led by some barn-storming Nick Bubb charges and some excellent work in the tight by Callum Kellas Lymington began to get a grip on the game again.
Finally a sweeping move along the line saw Phil Jenner take possession and instead of taking the easy option of releasing Pete Rolfe on the wing preferred to embarrass the three or four Winchester defenders in front of him by slicing through them to touch down under the posts. Joe Rodway kicked the extra two points to put Lymington in to the lead narrowly.
Soon after, the persistent offending in the ruck by Winchester resulted in a penalty being awarded which again Joe kicked to make the score 17-22 with ten minutes left on the clock.
At this point Lymington really turned the screw, effectively ‘closing shop’ on Winchester who didn’t get near the Mariner line again as any attack by them was knocked back with interest by the ferocious Mariner defence. All 15 players, to a man, stepped up and made sure that Winchester despite their best efforts would not be crossing the gain line yet alone the try line again.
When the whistle finally blew a relieved and jubilant Lymington left the field knowing that of all the wins they had achieved so far this season, this one was the most hard earned of the lot. Winchester had their part in a great game played with great spirit between the two teams. No doubt the return visit later in the season will be another great contest and one with equal importance to the final league standings.
The ‘Lymington Rivaaz Man of the match’ was Jamie Bolwell, who although more renowned for his exploits with the ball in hand, was nothing short of a tackling genius in defence this week.
Lymington Mariner’s next match is this Saturday, away against Ellingham and Ringwood vets/3rd team, in a friendly, 2.30pm kick off.
Any players, experienced or new to the game, young and fit or otherwise are all welcome. For more details visit the website –
http://lymingtonmarinersrfc.wordpress.com/ or contact Lee Thomas on 07917 556 863 or lee.thomas@skillsfundingagency.bis.gov.uk
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