Lutterworth 25 Nuneaton 47

The Nuns moved clear at the top of the table after their win over Lutterworth on the weekend heading into the last fixture of the season on April 6th. In a highly anticipated encounter, with the hosts billing it as the biggest game in their history, it was the Nuns that came out on top in nearly all aspects of the game to dominate with a 7 try performance, winning 47-25. Tries came from a Ben Dawes hat trick, for the second week running, George Wallis, James Redman, Nick Walton and Travis Bennett-Allcock. Lucas Brindley added three conversions and two penalties in very windy conditions.

The Nuns, kicking off with a slight advantage of the wind that was blustering across the pitch, had the hosts on their line in the first minute and only failed to score when Harry Beverley failed to hold a pass that would have seen him in the corner. They kept up the early pressure on the hosts but couldn’t make a break through.

In fact it was Lutterworth that opened the scoring. In the 10th minute with the Nuns on the attack, a pass was intercepted and taken from just outside their 22m. Bennett-Allcock ran down the man metres from the line but Joe Wilson was judged to have taken out the supporting player and the referee awarded a penalty try and yellow card for Wilson, 7-0.

In the 14th minute Harry Beverley left the field with a head injury replaced by Harry Healy. Then with the hosts having some pressure, they made use of the Nuns being down a man when they threaded through a neat kick under the posts with an on rushing attacker winning the race to the ball for a second converted try on 18 minutes to extend the lead to 14-0.

The Nuns got themselves back into the game soon after though. Having put the hosts under some pressure, Redman burrowed over from close range with Brindley added the extras, 14-7 after 24 minutes.

The Nuns came back straight away and after being awarded a penalty they sent the ball to the corner. From a set maul they marched forwards 15m and then after a short break out Dawes picked from the ruck to cross the line. Brindley couldn’t beat the wind but the score was now 14-12 after 26 minutes.

The Nuns carried-on on the front foot and got their third try on 32 minutes. Again, with the hosts under pressure in their 22m after some phase
play, Smitham popped the ball to the on-rushing Dawes who bull dozed over from 5m near the posts. Brindley added the conversion to give the Nuns the lead for the first time 19-14.

Lutterworth were next to score when the Nuns were penalised in front of their posts. 3 points were taken to bring the score to 17-19 on 34mins.

From the kick off Lutterworth dropped the ball and collected from an off side position. The Nuns repeated the tried and tested routine, kicked it to the corner and from the catch and drive Wallis was driven over in the corner for the bonus point try that went unconverted extending the lead to 17-24.

Lutterworth finished the half with the last point’s f the half with their second penalty goal leaving the score 20-24 at the whistle.

The Nuns started the second half on the front foot and on 43 minutes they got the first try of the second half. Joe Wilson made a break from half way down the touchline, fending off three defenders before timing his pass to Bennett-Allcock to beat the last man and run in to the score. Unconverted but extending the lead to 20-29.

That lead was increased again on 48 minutes. With the Nuns on top of the scrum, a penalty was awarded and the ball sent down the touch line. Ball secured and Dawes broke off the back of the maul to barge over for his hat trick and the Nuns seventh try. Brindley was successful with the conversion and the score was now 20-36.

Lutterworth had their best spell of possession in the half and on 56 minutes, after knocking on the door with a number of repelled attacks, moved the ball wide for their number 8 to score in the corner. Martin Wood was adjudged to have made a high tackle in the process and was shown a yellow card. The conversion was missed and the score now 25-36.

Nuns came straight back but Wilson had a penalty attempt at goal hit the post on 57mins.

Not put off by the miss and being down a player, a couple of penalties were won and pressure put on the hosts. Finally it was another lineout catch and drive over the home line with Walton getting the score this time, again unconverted but the score now 25-41 on 63 minutes.

On 72 minutes, Brindley added a penalty from a ruck offence and then on 77 minutes another penalty was awarded with the Nuns on the front foot which Brindley dispatched, 25-47 to the Nuns.

The Nuns then saw out the last couple of minutes with an aim to stop Lutterworth getting any bonus points, which they managed to do.
5 league points secured and the side move clear at the top of the table with one game to go against second placed Market Harborough.

A delighted Head Coach Huw Thomas “That was a squad performance of top quality. Not just the players who were on the pitch today as it was a tough selection week with boys putting their hands up. We didn’t panic when we went down in the first ten minutes and then once we got on top of them we kept the pressure on and were pretty ruthless in taking our chances. We have to do it all over again against Market Harborough now as nothing has been achieved yet but we have done this for the last 13 games and we will again.”

1 James Redman 2 Toby Dearden 3 Ben Dawes 4 Nick Walton 5 Tom Aherne 6 Rudi Reid 7 George Wallis 8 Martin Wood 9 Tom Smitham 10 Lucas Brindley 11 Travis Bennett-Allcock 12 Tom Eales 13 Ryan Preston 14 Harry Beverley 15 Joe Wilson; 16 Ben Holmes 17 Todd Bullions 18 Harry Healy