OORUFC Match Report
11th January 2014


OORUFC 43 vs 7 Mosborough




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With their heavy pack and robust backs, Mosborough have posed problems for 'Ensians in the past, but on this sunny winter's afternoon the home side withstood several periods of pressure before their superior pace and fitness produced seven fine tries, including another hat trick for winger Declan Jackson.

With a strong wind at their backs the visitors set the scene with some powerful driving play from their pack. In the scrums the home front row of Tony Myers, Jim Dyson and Ross Myers found it hard going and, although they generally managed to secure their own ball, possession was untidy. With the scrum weaving around, life was difficult for half backs Rob Lofthouse and Luke Freer, but when they did manage to get the ball away it was clear that the home backs had a clear edge on their opponents.

Mosborough used the wind to gain territory and although they pressured the home defence in the early stages, the home backs showed their counter-attacking skills whenever possession came their way. 'Ensians' locks Jack Smith and Ali Campbell and flanker Sam Featherstone were obtaining quality lineout ball and winger Callum Doherty came close with a strong run before the ball was spun across the field for opposite winger Declan Jackson to race in at the corner. The failed conversion gave the hosts a 5 - 0 lead on 16 minutes.

The visitors responded immediately by pushing play into the home 22 where they mounted a prolonged series of attacks through both forwards and backs. Despite several close calls, the 'Ensians defence held firm until pressure told and the opposition centre cut through near the posts with the conversion giving the visitors a 7 - 5 lead on 23 minutes. The lighter home pack then responded with some powerful driving play up the touchline with props Tony Myers and Ross Myers to the fore with strong support from locks Smith and Campbell. With a good supply of lineout ball, the home pack continued to blast away at the line until No. 8 Rob Arbuckle forced his way over half way out. Although the conversion failed, the home side were back in the lead at 10 - 7 on 34 minutes.

The pace and elusiveness of the home backs continued to cause big problems for the visitors and slick passing saw centre Luke Cowdell spot a gap and race clear to score near the posts. The conversion by full back Kristian Keinhorst stretched the 'Ensians lead to 17 - 7 at half time.

Prop Ross Nicholls and hooker Alex Albrecht came on after the break and, with the wind now in their favour, the home side wasted no time in setting up camp in the opposition half. They put together a series of dangerous-looking attacking moves through their backs, but determined defence from the visitors coupled with some over-ambitious offloads meant that the much expected scores did not come. To Mosborough's credit, they stuck at their task and it was on 65 minutes before No.8 Lee O'Donnell produced one of his forceful runs to score under the posts. Replacement full back Ben Hatton added the conversion to move the score to 24 - 7 on 66 minutes.

Despite an injury to hard-tackling centre Nathan Rogers, and although the visitors managed the occasional foray into the 'Ensians' half, from then on, it was continuous attacking from the home side with centre Luke Cowdell putting pacy winger Declan Jackson away or two more tries and Ben Hatton adding the extras for a 38 - 7 lead on 76 minutes. The icing on the cake came on 78 minutes with a slick lineout move from flanker Sam Featherstone who put Lee O'Donnell away down the touchline for the final try in the corner to make the final score 43 - 7 to the hosts.

Despite being behind for a short period early on, this was a comprehensive victory for 'Ensians who face a stiff challenge next Saturday when they are at home to the much-improved Leeds Corinthians.


Heath 3rdXV 26 vs 34 OORUFC 2ndXV



In an away Merit match 'Ensians 2nds beat Heath 3rds 34 - 26. Scorers for 'Ensians were: tries - Matt Taylor, Josh Howarth, Alwyn Herbert, Dave Smith, Connor Bateman with 3 conversions and a penalty from Matt Tenniswood.