Another weekend of disruption, but six games take place
After so many disruptions because of the weather, the fallow weekend of rearranged fixtures was also interrupted by the conditions. (Photo Credit: Jonathan Knight)
There were 12 games due to take place, but because of the remnants of Storm Ciara only six games were played on Friday and Saturday. Take a look at what happened in our review of the catch up weekend.
National 1
In National 1, just one of the three scheduled games took place. As the weather hadn’t significantly improved throughout the week it meant that Sale FC’s clash against Birmingham Moseley and Hull Ionians trip to Cinderford was called off.
The one game that did take place was Cambridge’s visit to Plymouth Albion. It was a particularly good day for the home side, with James Scaysbrook’s side running out 49-10 winners at Brickfields. Tries came from Max Norey, Josh Skelcey, as well as several other, with Connor Eastgate dictating tempo and kicking his goals well in the bonus point victory.
National 2 North
Three games were called off in the North. Huddersfield, Otley and Wharfedale were all unable to host their home games for the second week in a row and will have to find alternative dates to play their games against Tynedale, Luctonians and Stourbridge.
At Park Lane, Sedgley Park played league leaders Caldy on a remarkably mild day in greater Manchester. It was Caldy that took the bonus point victory home, scoring tries through John Collister, John Barker and two from number eight Josiah Dickinson, the champions-elect finished the clash with a 27-10 win.
The second game that took place in National 2 North was Chester’s visit from Scunthorpe. Safe to say that it the hosts day, scoring 109 points to Scunthorpe’s 12. Scoring a pretty whopping 17 tries, Chester were on top of their visitors from minute one.
Scoring nine tries before the half-time whistle, Jan van Denter’s men seemed very much up for a visit from the division’s basement side. Fly-half Dan Pemberton had a day to remember too, kicking 12 conversions and scoring a try, it was a very good day for the young fly-half.
National 2 South
Friday night lights delivered as always when Esher took on Barnes in a hotly contested London derby. It was the hosts that took a bonus point win, scores coming from Andrew Hamilton, Joseph Beckett, Jack Walsh, Harrison Collins and Thomas Mitchell. Eventually winning 34-10, meaning that Esher move ahead of Bury St Edmunds in the table.
Sutton & Epsom moved to just eight points behind Westcliff and safety. Beating fellow strugglers Bournemouth 43-19, Sutton & Epsom had secured the try scoring bonus point by the end of the first half, racing into a 26-0 lead thanks to tries from Kyren Ghurma, Jamie See, Izaiha Moore-Aiono and Stephen Munford.
Bournemouth did stage an early comeback in the second half thanks to the efforts of Ryan Hughes, Andrew Kingswell and Tobias Kenneally. The home side would push on, scoring further tries through Christopher Farrell and Moore-Aiono once more.
As a result of Old Redcliffians postponing their game against Bury St Edmunds, the final game of the weekend saw Old Albanian host Leicester Lions. A subdued affair at Woollams, it was Leicester that took home four points with a 10-8, scoring two unconverted tries through Ethan Godefroy and Harry Glynn, whilst OAs scored through a Joe Butler penalty and unconverted Johnathon Wicks try.
(Supporting imagery by Glenn Hutton)