Disallowed Tries Frustrate Garstang
Sat 7th Mar 2009, 03:00 PM
12 Garstang - Bolton 17
On a wet and muddy pitch Garstang welcomed Bolton for a tough match as both teams have had a battling season to date. With Head Coach Harvey Jones happy with selection Garstang started the game with the upper hand. Welcoming back the power house prop of Nick Smith and Dave Miller at three Garstang dominated the scrums all afternoon. Garstang led the way with some great possession play and a move off the training ground which started with forwards playing up the park, linking with the backs which allowed Ainsley Pye at ten to run over the line to score. To the amazement of everyone the ref disallowed this try! This sent Garstang into a daze and some great passing down the line by Bolton’s backs stretched Garstang’s defence and the opposition scored the first try of the day under the posts, this was duly converted to give Bolton a lead of 7 nil.
Garstang’s pack then reformed with some great scrums and pick up’s from Number 8 Richard Orr who had an impressive game again leading with strength taking at least three of Bolton’s players to stop him. Garstang then had a break from twinkle toes himself, Max Everest, who broke the game line and sprinted up pitch leaving all in his wake. He then skillfully kicked the ball long and wide for Captain John Robby to run onto, John duly outpaced his opposition full back and kicked forward and scored under the posts. Again, to Garstang’s amazement, this was disallowed by the ref who was on the halfway line as he deemed that the ball had been knocked on.
Bolton then did some good passing play and ran in a try which again the ref was happy to reward bringing the score to 14 nil. They were than awarded a penalty near the touch line and with an excellent kick from Bolton’s number 12 it sailed through leaving the score at 17 nil half time.
With some strong words from Coach Harvey Jones Garstang started the second half stronger, with some dominating play and Pat Woods was just held up to deny Garstang another score. Garstang then went a bit headless and lost direction as they panicked and tried too hard to sail the ball down the wing. This was due to being frustrated and careless knock-on’s were being made.
A few changes were made with Max replacing Nick Smith, after a hard game at prop, Richard Orr moving to second row and Keith Yates at eight. Soon after there was also the change of young Ben Corless, who had played well at Lock, for player coach Harvey Jones. With some controlling play Garstang composed themselves with some great rucking and mauling, with man of the Match Graeme Slater being everywhere as usual and some good stealing of the ball from Harvey Jones at lock. He linked well with Paul Brown at nine and Garstang span it out wide for John Robby to run in a score under the posts and duly convert his efforts (7-17). T his was repeated by some great forwards domination in the scrums and a three phase attack with Ainsley at ten running in a great try to make it 12 – 17. With five minutes to go Garstang were on full attack with the forwards and backs linking well only to be denied the final score which left the result as 17 to Bolton and 12 to Garstang.
After the game Coach Harvey Jones said “ With a lack of concentration in the middle we left it too late, this has been a tough year with injuries and unavailability’s and we are working hard to finish the season on high.”
Next week Garstang are away at Littleborough in North Lancs One, K.O. 15:00.
The match as reported in The Bolton News was as follows:
“BOLTON’S brilliant first-half display was enough to see off a determined challenge from a physical Garstang outfit.
Two converted tries from Danny Joseph and a penalty from Guy Lovgreen gave Bolton a commanding 17-0 lead at half-time in North Lancashire Division One’s bottom-of-the-table clash.
The second half was a different story, with both sides tiring, more space was available in attack, which Garstang benefited from to score two late tries and ensure a nervy final five minutes for Bolton, who seemed intent on throwing away their lead by missing tackles and poor organisation.
However, the Cherry and Whites hung on for a hard-fought victory which lifted them above Garstang in the table, and with four of their five remaining fixtures at home, second-bottom Bolton will look to move up the table.
Earlier, Bolton had taken a deserved their lead, with Joseph’s first try epitomising the adventure the visitors continued to show despite the horrendous conditions.
The try came from an excellent offload from Stuart Evans, which Joseph gathered 30 metres from the Garstang line and, after selling a dummy to the full back, sauntered under the posts.”
Article courtesy of www.boltonnews.co.uk |
