Dec 17 - M2 Lowestoft&Yarmouth 2 (H)
W 18 - 13 Report attached
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Wymondham finished the first half the season entertaining the always competitive Low & Yarmouth at Tuttles Lane. Having beaten a large side 26-29 in a last kick of the game victory earlier in the season a closely contested match was expected.
Neither side disappointed playing the match at high intensity and showed skills in the face of the rather dour conditions and muddy pitch. Wymondhams superior size in the forwards saw them dominate the early exchanges against the smaller, albeit well trained L&Y pack and feed the eager Wym backs some quality ball. Tom Midgley crowned his welcome return to the 3rd team with a score of his own and a big hand in Doc "Doc" Brown's try
The first score saw Wym pack work 2 tight phases off a line out before the ball went through the hands, Brown Jnr reading Midgleys loop around perfectly, straightened to take out 2 would be tacklers leaving the man with the magic socks just one defender to crash through before touching down. Conversion missed. Following strong control from the re-start Wym pack again moved the ball into L&Y territory before feeding ball to the 3/4's. The L&Y back line who had been struggling to contain the quick feet hands & centres of their opposite numbers were up fast and flat, allowing for Migley to grubber through and leave them flat footed, a quick toe poke away from the full back and Doc fell on the ball rather theatrically to double Wymondhams lead. 10-0
L&Y responded in typical fashion, putting phases together and testing Wym defensive qualities tight and out wide but they could not break through, John Lake particularly snuffed out a couple of threatening positions dislodging the ball with hard tackling. L&Y did however take a shot at posts to get some points on the board for their endeavours 10-3
Wymondham would finish the half with another try, this one from the forwards, with Rich Divey deservedly touching down. With several tap & go penalties and line outs close to the line repelled well by L&Y the rampaging Sillet was held up over the line and the ref pointed for 5 meter scrum. Clearly all the tackling had taken it's toll as an 8 man shove took the ball so far over the line it was the second rower who touched down, conversion missed
Half time 15-3
Second half got underway and Wym players still seemed to be in the half time huddle as with 3 minutes we were under our sticks waiting for a L&Y conversion after their centre broke through from the 10meter line and cantered unopposed for a try. This was just the motivation L&Y needed to believe they still had a chance of salvaging the game and a further 10-15minutes of one way traffic saw some real back to the wall defending, however unlike the first 3minutes of the half the tackling was stout and there was no break through.
Returning to the pick & drives that had served as the platform so well in the first half Wym moved the ball back into the L&Y 22 and as per th first half saw them infringe under pressure, Duffin obliged with the boot 18-8
The game was playing out to conclusion in the middle of the park when in open play, and due to excess mud making everyone's jersey appear the same, a Wym player popped the ball to a L&Y runner to his left. As a team Wym all watched the player turn about and head to try line before the penny dropped he was in fact a L&Y player, while pushed wide to make the conversion alot harder he had to big a lead to stop the try being scored, conversion missed 13-18
This made the final 8minutes far more frantic and pressurised than Wym needed or intended, credit to Ardrie for coming up with the turnover in the closing moments when L&Y looked to be building momentum by scragging the much younger (and thinner) scrumhalf
A good contest with Wym taking the spoils 18-13
