First XV match report – 29.09.07
LIVERPOOL COLLEGIATE 7 – 19 ORMSKIRK
It wasn’t the prettiest of rugby matches but Ormskirk were glad to leave Liverpool with 2 more points for the season’s league table after a scrappy encounter against Collegiate. With a side unchanged from the one that was victorious last week Kirk started the match fairly sluggishly, by their standards. So much so, that a few missed tackles and being second to the breakdown gave the home team a platform to set up a try which, after the conversion, meant Kirk had the up-hill struggle of putting their mark down on the game.
Slowly but surely the chances started to come. Kieran Mahood made some breaks at the back of the scrum, Healy and Wroe managed to link up but the finishing touch wasn’t quite there. As the first half was drawing to a close Kirk were looking to the second half and the slight slope advantage to bring them some fortune. However, Fly-half Phil Armstrong had a touch of class to contribute before the half was up. Intercepting a ball from his opposite number the speedy number 10 found himself in a little space and on a 60 yard dash to the line. Ears pinned back and being chased by several players, Armstrong bagged himself a try that was almost a carbon copy the one he scored seven days ago.
With the second half came more impetus from Ormskirk. Where scrum ball had been lost against the head in the first 40 minutes the Kirk forwards were now turning over Collegiate’s ball. More and more players were making breaks, Jamie Gregg at centre was able to take the ball over the gain line whilst inside centre Mark Hutchings was supporting and winning the ball quickly to keep Kirk advancing forward. When collegiate did attack Kirk’s defence was there to stop them in their tracks. Blind side flanker Adrian Molyneux put in three of the biggest tackles of his career, one of which would have registered modestly on the Richter Scale. To their credit Collegiate players did get up from the ground, albeit after several minutes.
Kirk were dangerous from the number 8 pick up, man-of-the-match Mahood would make a break and fend off the tackle putting Healy away, Andy Wroe would gain yards and present the ball for the Kirk pack to win. On 65 minutes a scrum 5 yards from the try line looked ominous for the home team. With Paul Rowley brought on the Pack began to dominate all the close contact. Collegiate couldn’t cope with the pressure and began collapsing the scrum as Kirk drove them backwards. Time after time Ormskirk’s powerhouses bulldozed Collegiate to the ground until the referee could take no more. The man with the whistle blew and signalled for the penalty try, this meant a straightforward kick for Armstrong which took Kirk into the lead at 5-12.
Collegiate’s answer was to kick the ball over Kirk’s backline in an effort to win territory but every time Montrose or Full-back John Curly were there to catch and run it back. Again with possession and a scrum in the home team’s half Kirk put together their blind-side winger move which saw Wroe score under the posts. At 5-19 and with minutes remaining Kirk had only to see the clock run out for the victory. Collegiate turned a little nasty, and tried to rattle Kirk’s game with underhand tactics but Captain Kirby calmed his players and turned the other cheek knowing that the score line settles all disputes on a rugby pitch. Glyn Roberts enthusiasm for the ball got the better of him and before the whistle he saw the yellow card come from the referee’s pocket but not even that damped the team’s spirits as another two points for the South Lancs and Cheshire Division 2 were racked up.
Team: Gately (Rowley 50), Wilson, Pape, Dean (Bennett 65), Kirby, Molyneux, Roberts (sent off 75), Kirby, Armstrong, Hutchings (Staniforth 60), Gregg, Wroe, Montrose, Curley
