ORMSKIRK 4TH XV 40 CARNFORTH 2ND XV 0
31st March 2007
Ormskirk 4th team ended their home campaign of the season with a win over visiting Carnforth. However it wasn’t to be the performance that ‘kirk had hoped for. As the game kicked off, the home team were caught sleeping and Carnforth made a good drive towards the ‘kirk line. Their hard work was rewarded with a penalty directly in front of the posts. Unfortunately for the visitors the kick drifted wide of the posts with the strong winds playing a factor.
This was a wake up call for ‘kirk to start competing in the game. This they did and it wasn’t long before ‘kirk got themselves up the field with the ball in hand. Scrum half Mark Slater made a darting run from the back of a maul before off-loading it to Adam Lee who drew two defenders before passing (yes Adam actually passed the ball) to Joe Walsh who came bursting through on a superb diagonal run. Walsh took the ball at speed and left the Carnforth defence standing as he scored under the posts. Mark Bailie adding the extra 2 points.
Kirk began to control the game more and it wasn’t long before they added another try to their tally. Again some good work from the forwards gave the backs some good ball which was shipped along the hands in the backs to Matt Waterhouse on the wing to claim his first try of the day. Again Bailie was accurate with the boot. Despite Carnforth’s attempts to break the gain line kirk’s defence remained solid and there appeared to be no way through for the visitors. Ormskirk made some short work of the visitors’ line-outs with Paul Doyle again being the main threat in the air. After a good spell of sustained pressure kirk were rewarded with a penalty 5 metres from the Carnforth line. Russ Brennan took a quick tap and slipped the ball to the on -rushing Lee to crash through the Carnforth defence and over the line. 2 more points came courtesy of Mark Bailie’s boot. Kirk scored again before half time through Mark Slater who made a jinking run dodging defenders before scoring near to the posts. Bailie again slotting over the kick. Half time 28-0
The second half was more of the same from ‘kirk, as they continued to drive forward, and with the pack’s awesome ability to roll the maul, Carnforth had no way of stopping the kirk machine. Kirks only downfall was to be sloppy handling and unforced errors which allowed Carnforth to see more of the ball in the second half. Although Carnforth had more possession in the second half they just couldn’t find their way through the kirk brick wall defence. Kirk did score again - and again it was the running of Joe Walsh that caused the problems for Carnforth. His ability to find gaps were there was no space proved to much for the Carnforth defence who split apart with more ease than Heather Mills and Macca. Bailie missed the kick.
The most entertaining point in the game came after Bailie had cleverly dinked a little kick over the top of the Carnforth defence and into touch. So from this Carnforth set a three man lineout, but this was not their call, Brian Green had made the call and like sheep Carnforth followed. This put them at sixes and sevens and were unsure what they were doing. From this lineout Jonsson stole the ball and set up a maul inside the Carnforth 22. the ball came out to the backs and quick hands allowed Waterhouse to score his second of the day. Bailie slotting home the kick.
The scoreline should have been more but for some last ditch tackling from the Carnforth defence. On a number of occasions Kirk’s players broke free and charged towards the try line only to be hauled down feet from the line.
The full-time whistle brought an end to a one way game which could have and should have been a more convincing win for Kirk, who have one more league game left to play this season when they travel to title chasers Pendle on 14th April
Try: Walsh (2), Waterhouse (2), Lee, Slater.
Con: Bailie (5)
Team: McDemott, Jonsson, O’Donovan, Walker, Denholme, Doyle, Green, Wallwork, Slater, Bailie, Lyon, Walsh, Lee, Waterhouse, Brennan, Petterson, Cardwell, Tanton Jnr.
