Old Reds II's 34 - 12 Nailsea & Backwell
Following a delay in getting the game under way (the home side having decided on a 3pm kick off), and despite an excellent chase and gather by James Cleave from Nailsea’s kick, Reds regained possession and ran the ball back going over in the corner for the first of their six try’s.
With four first team players coming back from injury into their side, it was Old Reds who started with the greater intensity. Nailsea retained possession for the next eight minutes but a misplaced pass allowed the Reds Hooker to intercept and run in under the posts. The conversion, like the first was unconverted.
Ravens Wing, Harrison Gould, had a blistering run covering half the field but was bundled into touch in one of the few bright periods for the visitors in the first half, despite the forwards work rate and the fact they were getting on top of their opposition.
On 25 minutes, following loose tackles, the Red’s tall Second Row broke through to score the third try. This time with the resultant kick converted. Almost from the re-start, slick hands and missed tackles allowed the home side to run in the bonus point try, all be it forced out wide and unconverted.
The Old Reds Lock was to run in his second try on the half hour from 40 yards.
There followed a period when Nailsea should have got one back. Luke Caswell won turnover ball and playing advantage the vistors enjoyed a period camped in the Reds 22. Unfortunately, lost ball allowed the home team to kick clear to touch.
It turned out to very much a game of two halves, as after Reds first try inside 10 minutes of the restart, Nailsea gained in confidence and scored two tries of their own.
With replacement Prop, young Will Marley, coming on against the smallest change Prop I have ever seen, Nailsea began to dominate in the scrums. From one of the resulting penalties, Elswood’s place kicking found touch deep in the corner. Despite losing the lineout, the result of the next three scrums awarded to the visitors in Reds 22 led to Scrum Half Reed popping the ball up to Elswood to go over on the blind side out wide. Unfortuntely, unconverted.
With the replacement of the injured Ry Love by Dave Price adding weight to the back line, Nailsea began running the ball. Following tenminutes camped on the Reds try line, Luke Caswell was unlucky not to score having been adjudged to have dropped the ball over the line from a pick and go. Pressure eventually told when Ciaran Askew crashed over. The kick converted by Elswood.
Next week Nailsea travel to second place Burnham on Sea, all support welcome.
