Mose hold firm until the end (well, almost)

19

Birmingham
Moseley

V

17

Blackheath

by Jon Meadows

The match began with both teams opting for a kicking game. The trouble for the home team was their kick generally found an opponent, whilst the visitors generally found touch. Moseley handled one such kick giving Blackheath a lineout on the home 22. The ball was gathered and worked forward before Moseley infringed, with Mark Cooke kicking the three points.

The home team were soon onto the score card with a penalty of their own from just inside the visitors 10 metres , Tighe Maxwell-Whiteley finding the target

Play continued to go back and forth, until Moseley infringed once more, the penalty kicked to touch on the Home 5 metre line. A successful catch and drive by the visitors resulted with Andrew Boye touching down, Cooke adding the extras from wide on the right.

Some more kicking long by both teams ensued before Blackheath opted to run the ball. A good counter offensive saw the ball turned over, with the visitors infringing at the resultant scrum, Maxwell-Whiteley adding another three points. The remaining ten minutes were fairly uneventful before the whistle for the end of the first period. Halftime scoreline: 6 – 10

Moseley were to have much the better of the second half, scoring early with a catch and drive from 10 metres, Samuel McNulty touching down with an unsuccessful conversion.

A strong defensive line and solid scrummaging were denying Blackheath any sort of foothold. The did have an attacking 5 metre lineout but the ball was overthrown, and the danger passed.

Moseley continued to apply pressure but with both teams guilty of handling mistakes or kicking the ball away no real opportunities arose.

The game was halted for a serious injury to Dan Brough. Following a lengthy period of treatment he was stretchered off – we wish him a speedy recovery

More broken play followed the restart culminating in a penalty to Moseley, just inside the visitors ten. Jack Jolly, who had taken over the kicking duties, pushed the ball to the left. He had another opportunity very soon afterwards for another infringement in almost the same position, this time successfully slotting the ball through the posts.

The home team continued to enjoy the lion’s share of possession and territory and found themselves with another 5 metre attacking line out. Another catch and drive ensued before Batsirai Zindi broke through to score, the conversion again unsuccessful.

With less than 5 minutes on the clock Moseley tried to remain positive but a couple of penalties and some back chat saw the visitors advance to just short of the try line. Another penalty ensued and Blackheath opted to scum. The home team were penalised again, another scrum being the result. With time well and truly in the red another penalty resulted in a kick for goal. Ironically, the ball slammed against the upright, rebounding to the attackers. The defence held strong against the drive before Thomas Baldwin burrowed through, Matthew Dalrymple adding the extras with the final kick of the game.

Adam Balding was again pleased with the performance of the whole squad. When asked his thoughts on man of the match he narrowly gave it to Ollie Steadman, but said it should really be shared between all of the back row

Attendance 612

Photographs : Chris Lowe