Match report Saturday 18th April Gainsborough All Blacks V Presidents XV
Gainsborough All Blacks 14 Presidents XV 12
Gainsborough finished their home fixtures for the season with their traditional Presidents fixture won for the first time in 3 years by the constantly improving All Blacks team. The match was a very even closely contested affair and for both side defences was the order of the day and strong tackling prevented the other from scoring. The closeness of the game meant that after the early settling down period both sides were forced into errors that resulted in scrums and this was the opportunity for both sets of forwards to test each other out.
Mick Williams who captained the Presidents on the day led by example and did his best to get his forwards going forward but the first half certainly saw the All Blacks on top in this department, because of the mid field dominance the attacks on each other lines came from breakaways, there was a superb run by Mick Storey for the Presidents, the home side only being saved by excellent tackles and the line clearing kicking of Shaun parker. Austin Huntley also showed his skills, catching the ball calling a mark and then running the ball out of defence. The Presidents scrum half Jonathon Brewster also showed a clean pair of heals breaking from the base of the scrum. Gainsborough’s response was always through the backs, good runs by Humphrey and Dawson who were only stopped by first class tackling,
The scoring stalemate was broken 30 mins into the game Chris Kent broke out of defence, ball spun out to Dan Hickson and on to Albert Parker who touched down for son Shaun to convert to put the All Blacks 7 points in front, the score shocked the Presidents into some open play, they came back at the Blacks but could not break through until the final minutes of the half when Tom Thorold touched down following several phases of play to score the try converted by Woody and both sides even at 7 – 7 at the break.
The second half of the game was a re run of the first, both sides cancelled each other out, the Presidents came to terms with the Gainsborough Scrum and that kept them in the game, Mark Goude and Mick Storey broke out of the Presidents defence, Austin Huntley worked tirelessly and Darren Smith tackled like a demon when the All Blacks came back at and them , all this effort seemed to pay of when Huntley got his reward and managed to put the Presidents in front for the first time in the match.
The game was now in its final stage and the younger fitter all blacks managed to win in the very last minute, Daniel Dawson who is always full of running escaped the now tiring Presidents defence to touch down and Shaun Parker took the pressure kick that gave the All Blacks the 2 points and the win.
A good even game a credit to both sides, Darren Smith took the Dave Miles trophy for the man of the match and Vernon Goude took the Mick Foot trophy as the winning captain.
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