Preston Grasshoppers 7th XV 19 Ormskirk 4th XV 19
13th January 2007
Ormskirk’s 4th XV visited Grasshoppers on Saturday in a fiery encounter which saw the referee issue 4 yellow cards and 1 red card. Both teams started the game positively and be a highly entertaining afternoon’s rugby match looked to be on the cards. With great defensive tackling from either side, it was difficult to see where tries were going to come from.
It was Hoppers who broke the deadlock first crossing the whitewash in the corner as they stretched kirks defence. However, their lead did not last to long as Paul Kearney crossed for kirk. Carl Day converting for the extras. The game was a pitched battle for the majority of the game and battle was an understatement, when during a ruck a fight broke out which saw both Kirk and Hoppers reduced to 14. Hoppers were first to capitalise, and scored a converted try. Kirk maintained their hard work and through sheer determination, Petterson crashed over the line for Kirk’s second try, again Day converted. Half time score 12-14.
As the second half started Kirk traditionally didn’t so therefore allowed Hoppers the chance to steal back the lead, with a dubious decision by the referee to allow a try which clearly wasn’t grounded. This was converted. As in the first half, both sides battled valiantly to win possession and create opportunities to score. As both sides worked tirelessly, tempers started to flair and in a moment of madness hoppers were again reduced to 14 players. Kirk attempting to capitalise on this made run after run at the Hoppers defence. Unfortunately they were unable to find a way through. With less than 2 minutes left on the clock Montrose hoisted a high searching kick towards the Hoppers try line forcing their full back to carry the ball over his own try line. This allowed kirk a scrum 5 metres out. Once the ball was won and secured. Quick hands gifted Worthington the chance to level the game. All came down to the final conversion. Score and kirk would have beaten Hoppers in their own back yard (something they haven’t done for 4 years). Miss and its all square. Day struck it well enough but just as it looked to have won kirk the game it drifted wide and honours were even.
Speaking after the match Kirks Captain Dave Jonsson was pleased with the efforts that the team had put into the game, but also felt that the victory was within grasp and should have been seized with both hands. Kirk play hosts to Bury next week at Green Lane in the hope of maintaining their current run of form with another Win.
Trys: Kearney, Petterson, Worthington
Con: Day (2)
Team. O’Donovan, Jonsson, Cardwell, Walker, Green, Hodgkinson, Doyle, Pell, Petterson, Montrose, Day, Kearney, Worthington, Lyons, Waterhouse, Chesworth, McCluskey
