Ormskirk First XV 16th Dec 06
Oswestry 19 Ormskirk 20
Ormskirk travelled to Oswestry to play the team that beat them by 6 points only 4 weeks earlier in the league. With a largely unchanged team from the previous game ‘kirk were determined to extend their winning streak, despite several key players being missing.
The game began with both sides attempting to exert the pressure up front and Oswestry with a strong pack were expecting to control to ball. However, Blackwood, Jones and Gately were not going to have this and when they began to dominate every scrum it looked like the game could be there for the taking. It was largely due to this forward pressure that Oswestry were penalised at a ruck on their own try line. Gaz Little playing at Stand-off would have a good afternoon at the kicking tee and got Ormskirk off the mark with 3 points.
With a very heavy pitch the backs would find it difficult to make this a running game of rugby. Centres Mark Hutchings and Simon (new dad) Staniforth punched the ball up ready for the Kirk back row of Roberts, Kirkby and Molyneux to recycle.
It was at one such break down when Little spotted a gap down the centre of the park and hoisted the ball down. Andy Wroe gave chase and when the ball stopped suddenly in a muddy section of the pitch he fly hacked it past the flat footed full-back. With a nail biting sprint to the line Wroe eventually bagged 5 more points for the team whilst Little converted.
The game wasn’t all one way traffic and it was only some super tackling from full back Nick Gordon on the opposition scrum half that saved Ormskirk conceding points. But their scrum half was their danger man and when he made a break putting the Oswestry centre through to score they got themselves back in the game. Only 2 minutes from the end of the half and Oswestry would inflict another blow by scoring a push over try. With the score at 12-10 going into the second half Ormskirk knew that they would have to dig deep to come away with a victory.
Ormskirk kept playing for territory. The home team’s discipline let them down and penalties were kicked to touch. Tracey’s lineout throwing was clinical and Dean and Bennett secured ball for Kirk. The referee was becoming increasingly frustrated by Oswestry’s indiscipline around the rucks and handed out several penalties during the course of the second half. One of which was kicked by Little. At 65 minutes the ball was handled down the Kirk backline for Andy Wroe to take it on. Beating his winger on the outside he displayed his pace and added some dazzling footwork sending the opposition full-back one way then the other, only to skip straight past him unchallenged. At 12-20 Ormskirk knew they had to keep focussed and tight until the final whistle. A last ditch effort by Oswestry would result in a push over try, which Kirk players and supporters felt had been held up. However the points were too little too late for the home team to take advantage.
Captain Kirby was proud off all his men and said afterwards, ‘19-20 is one of those scorelines that Ormskirk have several times been on the loosing end of so it was great to see the lads on the winning side of the score-line’. The team go into the Christmas break happy with back to back victories allowing them to climb South Lancs and Cheshire League II table.
