Close Encounters

33

Birmingham
Moseley

V

35

Sale
FC

Jon Meadows reports

With the weather set fair and a firm pitch, conditions were perfect for an open game of rugby and that is what both teams tried to provide for the majority of the match.

Moseley started proceedings kicking down the slope but it was Sale who shaded the opening ten minutes. They were rewarded when a clever chip bounced kindly for Osain Roberts to dot down under the posts, Oliver Davies’ kick a formality. This seemed to stir Moseley on and it was their turn to have the better of the play. Freddie Painter gathered a clearance on his own 22 before breaking to halfway and feeding Ollie Allsopp. He ran on to his own chip through and rode through a few tackles before touching down in the left corner, Tighe Maxwell-Whiteley pushing the kick wide.

Allsopp followed his good work with a wonderful 50-22 kick to about 7 metres on the right hand side. A catch and drive was initially stalled before Ollie Stedman powered through, Maxwell-Whiteley this time successful. Moseley rather botched the restart, punching the ball back to the oncoming attackers, Sean Street strolling through a rather static defence to score under the posts and another simple conversion.

Back came the home team with a sustained period of pressure at short range, Morgan Dawes picking up and driving through a tackle for his first score of the afternoon, Maxwell-Whiteley adding the two points. They would continue to press and a strong scrum drew a penalty. Playing with free ball it came to hand and a push for the line was rewarded, Tom Miles touching down giving Maxwell-Whiteley an easy hattrick. There was just time for the restart, a flying Aquile Smith just snagged on halfway and loosing the ball forward the referee blew for half time.

The visitors started the second period on the front foot but were being repulsed by a strong home defence, until Thomas Brady found space to race down the right wing, the ball worked across field for Davies to complete the move.

Dawes would add his second from a five metre lineout. Thrown to the back the ball was safely gathered and he burrowed through, with Maxwell-Whiteley again on target to restore the hosts 12 point lead.

With fifteen minutes remaining the visiting pack had somehow become the dominant force, causing some scrambled defence from their hosts. A yellow card to Maxwell-Whiteley for a slap down would prove pivotal, Sale taking advantage of their numerical advantage with tries from Jake Pope and Street with his second, Davies completing the comeback from the tee.

Restored to full strength Moseley tried with all their worth to find another score. Unfortunately they were unable to cope at the scrum, the Sale pack pushing them backwards and several promising plays came to nought.

Speaking afterwards Adam Balding said the game pretty much summed up our season. He thought the boys played really well but switched off on a couple of times. It was another occasion that was so close and what might have been