Gainsborough All Blacks 43 Lincoln IV 3
Team games are often difficult to predict in evenly matched clubs and if this game had been played three months earlier it would have been safe to predict a heavy defeat for the All Blacks. That was not to be the case on Saturday and Gainsborough got their most comprehensive win of the season.
Saturday saw a lot of hard work that had been put in by Vernon Goude, Harry Sampson and Nathan Mitchell come together, Vernon managing the side and putting the team together, Harry coaching and teaching players before the games and Nathan for attracting new young players to the club, there are others that deserve some credit but these three have had a big influence.
Gainsborough kicked off and totally dominated the first 10 minutes, the forwards kept the ball close and dominated set pieces against a Lincoln pack that had some very experienced players in it, the dominance eventually paid off, the ball came out to Shaun Parker who saw a gap went for it touched down and converted his own try Gainsborough 7 – 0 in front. For most of the half the All Blacks were not able to break the Lincoln defence, they were on top most of the time, good runs down the wing by Tom Bond and a desperately unlucky bounce robbed Dan Dodsley from scoring, before Mark Taylor took good line out ball and fed scrum half Gareth Wood who crossed the line touched down for a try that Shaun Parker converted, Half Time 14 – 0 to Gainsborough.
The second half saw the home side totally dominate a side for the first time this season and the real bonus was that the points were scored by the younger element in the club Daniel Chadwick scored his first try for the club, Aaron Dawson scored before receiving an injury and having to be replaced, Mark Ellis went in under the posts, Shaun Parker scored a second try and Sam Hirst capped a fine display with a try. Shaun Parker converted two of the tries. During all this dominance Lincoln did manage to get on the scoreboard with a penalty kick, this did prove to be there only points of the day.
Next week will see a much harder test for Gainsborough when Market Rasen visit for the first time this season, lets hope next weeks report is just as positive and the good work in the club continues. The match will KO at 2.30 and will be played at Castle Hills School.
On a more disappointing note the visitors dressing room had clothes and money stolen from it during the game on Saturday, should anyone know anything about this that would lead to the recovery of peoples personal effects the club or the Police would be pleased to hear from them.
Back Row, Harry Sampson, Rob Morley, Mark Lingard, Mark Taylor, Mick Williams, Mark Ellis jnr, Andre Russell, Mark Ellis, Howard Russell, Shane Ellis, Wayne Sandall, Albert Parker, Paul Hooton, Arron Dawson,
Jake Gray, Dallon Ryan, Sam Hurst, Gareth Wood, Shaun Parker, Tom Bond, Dan Dodsley, Nathan Mitchell, Mark Waterland, Vernon Goude, Daniel Chadwick
