Moseley show no mercy

69

Birmingham
Moseley

V

14

Darlington
Mowden
Park

Jon Meadows reports

With relegation from National One already confirmed, it was a depleted Darlington squad, with just three reserves, that travelled to Birmingham Moseley who were in no mood to show their guests any favours.

It was the 50th club appearance for Tuoyo Egodo, but any celebration was muted by a minute’s silence in memory of Colin McFadyean, former Moseley and Lions player and England captain who sadly passed away last week at the age of 82.

Moseley were quick of the mark, an early foray into the visitors 22 drew a goal line drop out. The kick was gathered on the visitors 10 metres and taken forward, Tom Miles breaking through to feed Ollie Allsopp who dotted down to the right of the posts giving Tommy Taylor an easy conversion.

Moseley would continue to shade possession and territory but a seemingly deliberate ploy to chip over the defensive line was not really working, and the visitors started to come back into the game. However, an overthrown lineout from Darlington deep inside home territory came to Ben Pogson who got to halfway before coming into contact on the right, a quick ball giving Freddie Painter space to run in for a fine individual score, Taylor again with the extras.

A third try quickly followed, a 5 metre lineout gathered and drive for Santiago Edwards to finish, Taylor pushing the kick wide. Aquile Smith would finish another fine move from a lineout to bring the try bonus, Taylor once more successful.

Darlington got themselves on the score sheet, Harry Preston intercepting a long pass to run in unimpeded from distance, Garry Law with an easy kick. It was a temporary blip, Moseley securing another lineout worked the ball to the 5 metre channel. After several pick and goes the ball came to Morgan Adderly-Jones who found a hole in the line giving Taylor another simple kick.

From the restart Moseley kicked to touch giving the visitors a lineout halfway inside home territory on their left hand side. They secured the ball and worked it to the opposite side only for Smith to intercept and run in from halfway, Taylor with the simplest of opportunities. There was just time enough for another score from the hosts. A solid scrum in the middle of the park, the ball was passed out to the left. Some clever interchanges down the left wing allowed Ollie Allsopp to cross for a 45-7 half time score line.

Darlington started the brighter in the second period and scored early on. A tap and go from William Jones on the home 10 metres was fed eventually to William Groves who touched down under the posts giving Laws an easy kick.

The next ten minutes or so became a bit of a stalemate. The visitors were refusing to kick the ball away, going through the phases but not really making any gain line advantage. This was punctured by a Moseley lineout halfway inside the visitors 22. A catch and drive was taken to ground just short of the line but quick ball and a pass out wide found a two man overlap, Painter scoring his second and a difficult conversion missed.

Another score followed shortly afterwards from a scrum just outside the visitors 22. The ball was worked to the left and some slick handling allowed the home team to advance, working the ball infield again before a ruck just short underneath the posts. Ethan Priest was on hand to burrow through, Jack Jolly this time adding the extras.

To their credit Darlington refused to let their head drop and continued to throw the ball around, again with little reward. They had a lineout just inside their half but Moseley stole the ball which was worked infield and then back out to the right and to Will Safe. With plenty to do he powered down the wing through several tackles to score in the corner.

Moseley were not yet finished, gathering the restart on their own 22 they made a few yards before passing the ball to the left wing with some quick hands before a ‘show and hide’ from Adderly-Jones allowed him to break free before feeding Smith to use his pace to run straight before cutting infield to touch down under the posts giving Jolly another easy two points.

There was time for the visitors to have a late flurry inside the home 5 metres but spilled the ball forward allowing Moseley to clear from the ensuing scrum. Taylor almost completed his fine afternoon with a try but dropped the ball whilst in the act of scoring. The resulting goal line drop out ended with a penalty to Darlington. They took a quick tap before putting the ball into touch for the final whistle.