Fixture

Risca RFC | 2nd Team 10 - 10 Caerleon RFC | 2nd Team
Richard Mark Harris
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1 Penalty
1 Try

Match Report
08 January 2017 / Team News

Fitting Tribute

The Helmets travelled to Risca for an emotionally charged league fixture. This was the first match since the untimely loss of Helmet and CRFC legend George Dawes and was dedicated to his memory. An impeccable minutes silence was observed by both sides and the spectators containing a large contingent from Caerleon who had come to pay their respects. A jersey with the club badge and George 3 on was laid on the halfway line during the silence and hung over the perimeter hoardings during the match.

 Anyway, the game started , Caerleon began the stronger with adrenalin pumping. A massive first scrum saw Risca back pedalling and down leading to a pen.Good thrusts in midfield and carries from the pack saw quickly recycled ball and an overlap was created down the right after nice hands accross the line.Owen Miller set his sights on the run for the corner but unfortunately took his eye of the ball and it was lost forward. Risca had no suitable match balls so Pecker supplied from the Helmets kit bag, but 1 ended up in a fenced off garden and another in the river leading to a soft ball with no grip being slated by OJ as a reason for some poor lin-out throwing(lol).

  However , Caerleon were still enjoying some good possession and a little chip from Richie H saw him taken out late and the opportunity for him to slot the kick and 3-0 to the good guys.

  Great running from Brad from deep and Owen on the wings saw some excellent atacks , and Greg D and the back row were tackling hard and winning turovers.

  However, Risca began to get in the game. Caerleon's dominance at scrum time began to dwindle , and Risca attacked strongly , The boys fell off some tackles as they failed to meet opponents, and twice in a few minutes the home side created chances wide on the left scoring them both, the 2nd an excellent finish where the scorer stepped inside to leave 2 would be tacklers clutching at air. 3-10 HT.

 The 2nd half started with the home side again in the ascendency and Caerleon making errors . A missed pen saw the chance to reduce the arrears gone, passes were dropped and a drop out kicked straight out. However, there was still some excellent defending going on with some hard tackles, especially from Owem Miller chasing hard and the front 5.

  Then a driving maul in the Helmets 22 saw a Risca player around the kneck, but instead of blowing up the ref let the play contnue which led to a fracas, a big punch up and eventually a red car for Brad, and a yellow for them.

   This seemed to galvanise the Helmets and their game intensity upped. Saul made some nice breaks and again he nearly got away when Luke picked him out with a long pass which he just failed to hold on to above his head. Craig replaced Adam Howells with what looked like a painful leg injury, and Dai Brake replaced Luke with somethig similar. Richie Collins made a fantastic break up the middle and as he got to the 22 he passed inside to Craig who was engulfed by the home defence, but more surges towards the line eventually saw Richie Harris barge over from close range when you could have thrown a blanket over the whole 14 , everyone determined to get that ball over the line. Brilliant conversion from Richie wide out levelled the scores and with 10 to go it was all to play for.

 Caerleon were tiring now and Pank replaced Tony Ange in the front row who had worn the number 3 shirt with pride . Risca continued to attack with varying plays, trying to utilise the space behind. Saul and Owen worked their socks off covering the back 3 positions between them, A break from Saul put Owen clear down the left in front of the away support, but he just got caught in 2 minds and the defence got to him. Saul broke away again rolling out of a tackle and Richie Collins had another little break, but no scores were forthcoming.

 A kick out of defence saw another lung bursting chase from Owen finally getting to his man after the 3rd pass somewhere in midfield, winning the pen . Great effort.

  The tiring pack were being spurred on by Rob playing on permit and some big defensive hits from the 2 Dais, Brake and Cooke.

   Nobody wanted to give the game up now, and the boys were digging deep scrambling to fill any spaces and tackling as if their existence defended on it. Adam Roberts and Olly West replaced Saul and Richie , and it looked like Risca might nick it at the death. They moved the ball quickly in the 22 and created space down the left. Owen wasn't letting them in though and somehow got accross to his man, stood him up and drove him backwards. As his team mates piled in the penalty was won and the danger gone. 

   The ref's whistle brought an end to proceedings and a really hard fought encounter finished all square at 10-10.

  This was a game of 4 quarters. The Helmets dominated the 1st, fell off a bit for the middle 2, then when down to 14 men dug really deep and played with the spirit and skills we have become accustomed to!! A great tribute to George, the whole day, the build up, the match and the uniform worn in respect of the big man. He would have loved it all!!

   Great performancesall round, but 2 stand out players in Saul and Owen were my contenders for MOM. Both looked like they could open up the defence to win the game, both worked their socks off covering the space, especially when a man down, and both tackled their hearts out. I'm going to give it to Owen though, as his chasing down of the attacker after clearing kicks time and again kept Risca at bay, and just shaded it. Well done all. Top stuff. Helmets!!!P.S. Wishing Adam Howells a full and speedy recovery after it was confirmed he broke his fibula in the game. Op tomorrow. Good luck fella.

  

 

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