18 Group Development Squad
Lancashire 24 Cheshire 17
Lancashire entertained Cheshire on a warm sunny evening at Preston Grasshoppers and both sides contributed to an entertaining game for the large watching crowd as Lancashire just about edged it, 24-17.
The key to the Lancashire victory was some excellent defensive work backed up by some superb running in the backs orchestrated by Fly half Jordan Davies (Eccles / Denstone College) who scored a try and converted two of Lancashire's 4 tries.
Lancashire made all the early running with winger Tom Bowden (Fylde / Kirkham GS) caught with a last ditch cover tackle when he looked that he had got away, undaunted Lancashire continued to press and scrum half Antony Harden (LSH / Cowley) dodged and weaved his way to the line only to get stopped inches from the whitewash. However supported by his forwards he was driven over the line and Lancashire recorded the opening try. Cheshire replied after 26 minutes with a penalty but Lancashire grabbed a second try when quick ball from the forwards was used effectively by Davies as he found full back Michael Dutton (Eccles / Eccles College ) who came into the line at a perfect angle cutting the Cheshire line like a knife through butter.
The second period was just 4 minutes old when pressure by Matthew Holding (West Park / Winstanley College) forced a Cheshire player to throw out a wild pass which was intercepted by Davies and he raced in under the posts from 50 metres out. The Cheshire response was swift as they constructed a series of driving mauls in the Lancashire twenty two and managed to ground the ball under the posts with a mass of bodies all around.
Lancashire clicked up another gear and Davies decided to throw out a long looping pass on halfway, unfortunately the ball seemed to drop from the air leaving Dutton to catch it just above his boot laces. The Cheshire defence seemed to stop in awe of the catch and thus, Dutton jinked away to score a try out on the right flank as the Cheshire players watched.
With six minutes left Davies hoisted a high bomb to the left flank where the Cheshire right winger took the ball superbly in the air and raced away from the Lancashire defenders to score the wheatsheaf county's second try of the night.
Lancashire had to defend for the remaining few minutes as Cheshire tried and failed to find an equalising score.
Outstanding on the night where Davies and Dutton, with Bowden and Holding also impressing the backs. The front row of skipper Richard Fell (Kendal / Lancaster RGS), Oliver Cowey (Lancaster RGS) and Ben Black (Waterloo / St.Edwards) won four scrums against the head and backrowers Luke Woolley (Sedgley Park / Holy Cross College) and James Radcliff (Eccles / Bolton School) but some big tackles in.
Next up is the match against North Wales on Sunday 29th April, at Colwyn Bay. The next training session is on Monday 24th April at Tyldesley - all squad members are asked to attend.
If anyone has photographs they would like to share from the above match, could they please email lancsrugby@aol.com
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