A different type of report for yours truly, having to report on a loss!
Despite the Foresters recent winning form they would have been fully aware that the visitors, Tynedale Raiders, posed a serious challenge to their recent 100% record. (The away fixture saw the Greens on the wrong end of the ledger earlier in the season.)
Added to this, there were a number of changes in the backline, both positional and personnel wise.
The conditions were miserable with the pitch unusually cutting up.
Dale started well, playing away from the river. The Greens were handling well, with their forwards giving them front foot ball to allow their halfbacks to steer them around the field. Dale were probably guilty of not taking several chances in this period .Especially after notable breaks by Orson Hall, Andy Rhodes and Jack Burton, that took them close to the visitor’s try line. It was at this point that the conditions, inaccuracy at the breakdown, handling and good defence denied them scores.
That is not to say Tynedale did not have their moments. However the Greens defended well and at 39 minutes in they would have been disappointed with the 0-0 score,and that they were not leading.
Just prior to halftime The Raiders were awarded a scrum on the Forester’s 22 near the right touch line. They went left and after several phases scored in the left corner.
HT Score 0-7
Dale made several changes to their personnel at halftime.
Tynedale buoyed by their score prior to the break came flying out of the blocks for the new half. Dale’s earlier stable scrum was now creaking and after several 5 metre scrums the Raiders No 8 scored to make the score 0-14 at 46 minutes.
Dale were now trying to chase the game but were continually being penalised at the scrum.
To their credit Dale continued to take it to the Raiders, despite being under pressure. The Raiders third score came in the 64th minute after Dale cleared their line’s from the 22. The ball was picked up by the Raiders’ centre who ran straight and hard through the Greens’ midfield to score under the posts.
The Greens still fought on despite the Raiders getting a fourth try in the 74 minute to make it 0-26.
Further hard carrying, for one last hurrah, by Dale’s number 8, Tom Beresford and the two locks Simon Borrill and Jack Burton took them to 5 metres short of the Raider’s line. Again the Greens came up short and unusually the Foresters failed to score in a game.
The Raiders were deservedly the winners.With the Foresters’ 100% for 2024 record gone, they will have to get back on the horse to ensure they are in with a chance of readdressing this result, by initially securing a place in the semifinal.
The Foresters next game is away to Sheffield Tigers on the 16th March.
Starters: –
- G Altham,
- S Holden
- T Whitehead
- S Borrill (c)
- J Burton
- Z Heys
- L Craven
- T Beresford
- M Bell
- A Rhodes
- F Walker
- E Spence
- A Mounsey
- B Viner
- O Hall
Finishers: –
16 J Huck, 17 M Mountain , 18 S Bennett, 19 S Mason.