Lymm Match report
Huddersfield Rugby Union, Head coach, Gareth Lewis, said there was “a few home truths today,” despite winning away to Lymm.
Field ran out 26-10 winners, with tries from captain Alex Battye, Nick Sharpe, Lewis Workman and Lewis Bradley which got them that all important bonus point.
Lewis said his side didn’t play at the level which they should be, “We got the result, five points but the performance wasn’t to the level that we should be playing at, the lads know the coaches know we’ve got to be better”
Dan Jeffrey pulled out of the squad prior to the game, leaving Huddersfield with no recognised number 9. Ollie Scrimshaw deputised in that position and Lewis praised his performance, “It was difficult, I think Ollie did very well, obviously thrown in at the deep end, he’s been playing there for the Falcons, all credit to him for the way he jumped in and performed today, helping the team out in difficult circumstances.”
The first try of the game came in the tenth minute as an instinctive offload from Bell, allowed Bradley to break the line and pass the ball to Battye to try under the sticks. Bell converts. (0-7)
Lymm responded 13 minutes later, after constant pressure on Huddersfield try line allowed them to free a gap and go over and make the game level. (7-7)
10 minutes before half-time, Nick Sharpe found space and pounced over as Huddersfield retook the lead. (7-12)
Fly-half, Chris Bell is unavailable next week, so coach Lewis trialled Lewis Workman in that role for the second half. “Bell is unavailable next week so we have to prepare for him not being in the side, so we gave Lewis Workman ago in the fly half role and he did well and he needs that exposure in that position, he’s been moved around a lot at the minute, which he might find frustrating, but if he looks at the bigger picture its developing his game.”
Four minutes into the second half Lymm scored a penalty to cut the deficit to 2 points. However, three minutes later, clever team work from Danny Grainger and Workman, which saw them kick the ball 3 times past the opposition for Workman to gather and try directly under the sticks. Bell converts (10-19)
Five minutes before the final whistle, Second Row, Lewis Bradley, got Huddersfield important fourth try which secured the bonus point, as he dived over the touchline. Bell converts (10-26)
Lewis expects his side to be better, “again our game management was poor today, our kicking game could have been better, physically we kind off disrespected the opposition in terms of how we approached it and the excuses don’t wash we have to be better and we will be better.”
Nevertheless, Lewis was full of praise for Austen Thompson whose performance impressed the coach, “We made some good line breaks, the one who springs to mind is Austen Thompson who made two or three breaks today and I thought he was outstanding Austen today, physical and made good inroads into defence.”
Lewis doesn’t want his side to get complacent as his side still remain unbeaten in National North 3, “The players have got to drive that, in the last 5 games, we’ve been together since the 28th of June, it’s been a long old hog, but we’ve got to see it through to the end.”
Team:
15. Danny Grainger
14. Elliot Knight
13. Tom Owen
12. Lewis Workman
11. Brandon Conway
10. Chris Bell
9. Oliver Scrimshaw
8. Nick Sharpe
7. Lewis Bradley
6. Ben Hoyle
5. Adam Malthouse
4. Austen Thompson
3. Alex Battye (captain)
2. Frances Entressengle
1. Callum Thompson
Replacements:
16. Rueben Pollard
17. Ben Morrill
18. Kristian Sharples
