By Ivaylo Ivanov
Huddersfield RUFC lost 31-22 in a highly competitive away game against Caldy, missing the chance to achieve a third win in a row.
The game was deeply intriguing as teams played at an almost equal level juggling constantly with the control of the game between each other.
The game started with pressure from Huddersfield and Joel Hinchliffe missed an early penalty. But in the 6th minute the away team was unpleasantly surprised as Nicholas Royle scored a try giving Caldy a 5-point lead.
During the following couple of minutes the game was purely dominated by the home side.
But the 15th minute came and the team from Huddersfield exploded.
Nicholas Sharpe scored a try in the 16th minute to level the score.
Then a second try followed, scored this time by Michael Clarke with a dart down the left wing in the 22nd minute, which put Huddersfield ahead in the score making it 5-10.
After the 25th min Caldy managed to put the control of the game back in their hands and in the 34th minute Jack Lavin restored the equality scoring a try. The following Conversion was completed by Benjamin Jones and the home team went into the break with a 2-point lead.
The first minutes of the second half was difficult for Huddersfield. Caldy imposed a pressure and in the 50th minute Andrew Soutar scored a try making the result 17-10.
But the guests managed to respond. Joel Hinchliffe scored a try in the 54th minute and made the result 17-15. Huddersfield missed the opportunity to equalize as the following Conversion was missed.
The try scored by Hinchliffe gave the Huddersfield players a motivation and the squad managed to come back in the game.
The following minutes was marked with a clear domination by Huddersfield but team’s efforts was marked with no success as in the 70th minute the substitute Christian Jones increased Caldy’s advantage scoring a try. The following Conversion was completed by Richard Vasey, who also came as a substitute, and the result became 24-15.
In the 75th minute Nicholas Sharpe gave Huddersfield another hope to get something from the game scoring a try to make the score 24-20. Moreover, the Conversion followed was completed by Joel Hinchliffe placing the away team only 2 points behind Caldy.
But Huddersfield’s hopes were destroyed by Nicholas Royle in the 78th minute. He increased Caldy’s advantage scoring a try and made the result 29-22.
The final score was confirmed by Richard Vasey who completed the Conversion making the result 31-22 and and ending Huddersfield’s promising-looking run.
Huddersfield: Hodson, Mitchell, Martin, Owen, Clarke, Bell, Hinchliffe, Purcell, Walker, Battye, Thompson, Brown, Malthouse, Hoyle, Sharpe.
Huddersfield substitutes: Thornton, Cosgrove, Rhodes, Sanderson, Jeffrey.
Caldy: Soutar, Eaves, Roberts, Lavin, Royle, Broxson, Jones, Lowes, Dowridge, Salisbury, Mcgowan, Manley, Cross, Davidson, Smithson.
Caldy substitutes: Jones, Williams, Dowler, Vasey, Devaney.
