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AIL vs. Midleton Match Report |
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Ulster Bank League
Bective vs. Midleton
12th February 2011 Match report thanks to Conor Donnelly Bective secured a crucial 20-3 home victory over fellow promotion chasers Midleton last Saturday. Rangers came into the game on the back of two straight losses and could ill afford a third in this high stakes matchup. Bective got off to a flying start on four minutes when the Rangers attack spread the ball across the field to winger, Will Hanly.When Hanly elected to kick the ball through the Midleton defensive line, the bouncing ball was scooped up by centre, Mike Summerell, who passed it to fullback, Cormac O’Beirne, inside the visitors twenty-two. O’Beirne rounded the last defender and touched down for the first score of the game and an early 7-0 lead. The Visitors struck back with three points of their own just one minute later after Bective failed to gather the restart cleanly and conceded a penalty .The kick was duly slotted over by Midleton fullback, Jeff Hitchmough, to make it 7-3.
Bective had a chance to restore their early seven point lead on fourteen minutes when they were awarded a penalty after Midleton were adjudged to have played the ball on the deck. Bective outhalf, Georoid O’Grady’s kick just drifted wide right of the posts and the score line remained the same. Both teams were guilty of poor execution in attack during the first half and it seemed that the plague knows as knockonitis that currently is contamanting the Irish National team had inflicted both teams on Sunday. The symptoms of the disease make those who are unfortunate enough to suffer from it knock the ball on at the most inopportune times and because of this multiple attacking moves were foiled. Despite this Bective pushed hard in the dying moments of the half to register another score. On thirty seven minutes a great run by Conor Hairbson brought the ball deep into Midleton territory. Bective recycled the ball and moved it wide where they looked to have a numbers advantage but a poor pass meant the chance was lost. Undeterred Bective regained possession and pushed again two minutes later. Paul Hatton, who earlier had doled out thunderous hits to Midleton players in a manner reminiscent of Gay Byrne giving out prizes on the Late Late Show (one for everyone in the audience), drove the ball back into the Midleton twenty-two. Again it looked like Rangers had numbers outside but a combination of slow ball and a knock on ended the threat. From the resulting scrum Bective exerted huge pressure on Midleton and won a penalty in front of the posts. This time O’Grady slotted the ball over to bring the half to a close and make the scoreboard read 10-3 in favour of the home side. With a potentially crippling blow to their promotion dreams only forty minutes away Midleton threw everything at Bective .The majority of the second half was played in deep Bective territory where Midleton set up camp inside the Ranger’s twenty-two. Wave after wave of Middleton attackers crashed against the Bective defence in search of points. Midleton’s best chance came on fifty two minutes when they crossed the line only to be denied when the ball was held up. Bective, who have conceded the least amount of points of any team in all three division of the Ulster Bank League, had to dig deep to survive the continuous onslaught. Stubborn defending aided by countless knock ons by Midleton meant that despite having Bective on the ropes the visitors failed to land a knockout blow and score points. In classic Rope- a -Dope style with Midleton now tiring after using all their energy looking for a score Bective counter attacked. With ten minutes to go a great kick chase by Bective wing, Henry Bryce, forced Midleton to kick the ball into touch in their twenty-two. Bective collected the lineout and powered their way over the line for their second try of the match and a 17-3 advantage. Moments later Bective nearly added a third try when a kick by scrum half, Brad Allam, rolled its way near the Midleton line. Winger, Bryce, raced onto it but with the try line calling inches away he knocked the ball on. Bective completed the scoring and sealed victory just before full time when they were awarded a penalty after one of the Bective attackers was blocked off by a weary Midleton defender. Georoid O’Grady collected the three points to wrap up what could prove to be a pivotal 20-3 victory, |
