W  45 - 5  Report attached

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  - - - - - -

Wasps 45,

Southwold 5

Photos by Macdonald Images CLICK HERE

The Wasps final league fixture of the season was a repeat of their first ever league match as they entertained Southwold at Tuttles Lane. Having scored 137 points to nil in the previous two fixtures confidence was the absolute antithesis to the first encounter. From the kick off Wymondham chased and made an immediate impact soon turning the ball over. Efficient rucking facilitated the release of the backs and when Crowther broke the first line of defence a score looked imminent. Good cover defence reigned in Crowther who offloaded to the supporting Pigg who ran the final few metres to open the scoring within three minutes.

Wymondham thinking the tone had now been set played with abandon. Possession and good handling allowed the ball to be spun wide time and again. Eventually the gaps began to appear and Crowther passed to DeVaux looped and received the return pass. Pace agility and gazelle like guile created the space for Crowther to run in the second try of the game. Converted by Plunkett.

Pressure from the visitors and the resulting loss of direction saw the tables very much turned and time for Wymondham to defend . Southwold attacked from all angles and in all channels and eventually a blind side move breached the defence and the Southwold player sprinted in for the score. Conversion missed.

The game ebbed and flowed with neither side dominating for the last ten minutes of the half. Either side could have scored but neither side did. The half ended 12 -5 in favour of Wymondham.

Some stern words from coach Dennis implored the team to return to the game plan and pattern in the second half. Southwold, now resurgent after the break, came out fast applying more pressure. Strong tackling and expert jackling from Taylor provided the ball for Crook ‘the composed’ to dictate play. Strong running from Lockwood broke through the defence and the race was on. The gold went to Lockwood who scored beneath the posts making the conversion for Plunkett the simplest yet.

This score produced the answer to the coaches prayers as the team returned to the game plan and began to apply their own pressure. Fullback Plunkett spotted the flat line defence and chipped ahead for the team to chase. Despite falling on the ball Soutwold could not get enough players back
and the chasing Pigg disrupted the ruck and the ball squirted out for the ever diligent Dyche to touch down once more converted by Plunkett.

Five minutes later and mid way through the half Sweetman received the ball in space and faded in then out and not only outpaced but outwitted the last defender to run the last twenty metres to score to the right of the posts.

The game once more was in limbo as both sides battled for dominance. Wymondham got the better of these exchanges and in the thirty first minute Dyche squeezed through the smallest of gaps in her own inimitable style to run in the second of her brace of tries, again converted.

The gaps were now appearing as a result of fatigue and Crowther needing no second invitation for predation seized the moment and topped her season off with the second of her two tries. Plunkett again accurate kicked five from seven on the day.

The final score in this hard fought match 45 to Wymondham 5 to Southwold. Credit must go to the whole squad of twenty two on the day for their commitment to playing and training through out the season.

Squad:

Lockwood, Hansar, Bendall, Kibblewhite, Pigg, Taylor (cpt), Dyche, Walsh, Gomez, Crook, DeVaux, Clarke, Crowther, Perry, Plunkett, Sweetman, Spruce, Elgar, Lewin, Elliott, Broomfield, Nwandu.