Dec 17 - LNE3 Newmarket (H)

W 17 - 15   report attached

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

While the weekend’s rain may have been welcomed by those Wymondham supporters engaged in
agriculture, it did nothing to improve the spectacle at Tuttles Lane. For the first time this season, the pitch
was a morass which was totally unsuited to the home side’s preferred style of fast, running rugby.

That Wymondham emerged from an ugly match with a four point win was a testament to the team’s spirit as
the players dug deep to do just enough to bag the points.

The first half was marked by a series of handling errors as both teams struggled to hold on to the slippery
ball, punctuated by a stream of penalties, the vast majority conceded by Wymondham, as players struggled
to stay on their feet at the breakdown and to retreat to onside positions.

The treacherous underfoot conditions militated against accurate place kicking so both teams were using the
tactical kick to touch from penalties and attempting to catch and drive the ball over the try line.

The game was summed up by the page in my notebook which remained blank until the lengthy time added
on at the end of the first half when, after yet another penalty awarded to Newmarket, they kicked to the
Wymondham five metre line, took the ball from the subsequent throw and drove over in the mud to record
a five point score wide on the Wymondham right wing which, almost inevitably, went unconverted.

5-0 to Newmarket at the break.

The home coaches brought on Tom Wilson and James Wyatt at half-time in an attempt to refresh their team
and the restart brought an immediate response from the Red and Blacks with a carbon copy of Newmarket’s
try. A penalty kicked to touch and a strong drive saw both forwards and backs combine to force the ball over
the line with a barely recognisable, mud covered, Josh Wright taking the credit for the score.

Play continued in much the same manner as the first half with both sides struggling to make an impression
and yellow cards distributed to both sides for persistent offending.

After Wymondham were yet again penalised for straying offside, Newmarket almost inevitably used the
catch and drive from the lineout and again drove over the line for their second try. 5-10 to Newmarket.

With 20 minutes of the half gone, the restart brought a glimpse of the rugby of which the home side are
capable. Wymondham pressure forced a clearing kick to touch by the Newmarket full back. The subsequent
line out saw Wymondham move the ball swiftly along their back line and hard-working centre Barry
O’Sullivan, who has been a revelation this season, broke through the Newmarket defence and timed his pass
perfectly to put winger Alex Brugger in for a score between the posts. Crucially, the try was converted to
leave Wymondham ahead by 12-10.

After 35 minutes, Wymondham earned another penalty in the Newmarket half and opted to spread the ball
wide. With forwards joining backs in the line, prop Josh Stuart received the ball and, putting aside memories
of the previous week when he dropped the ball over the try-line, slid over to increase the home side’s lead
to 7 points.

As the game drew to a close and darkness fell, the spirited Newmarket side responded with gusto and laid

siege to Wymondham’s line, earning a series of penalties and a further yellow card for the home side as
the defence struggled to protect their lead. Eventually, as the clock ticked past the 55 minute mark for the
half, Newmarket forced their way over for a try close to the posts which left them with a conversion chance
to record a draw. Unfortunately, their kicker again fell foul of the conditions and the kick slid wide of the
upright to leave Wymondham with a welcome 4 league points and Newmarket with a hard-earned losing
bonus point.