Ormskirk start with away win

THE new season began on a positive note as Ormskirk, travelling to Ashton-under-Lyne for their first game, came away with a five try bonus point win.

Defending outside their own twenty two, a long clearing kick from flyhalf Nat Wildman turned the home side round and as they scrambled to collect the ball, a mix up conveniently left the ball at the Ormskirk kick chaser’s feet.

A hack on resulted in scrum half Gaz Prytherch going in unopposed close to the posts, the conversion putting the visitors into an early seven point lead.

Ormskirk quickly backed up their score when winger Jack Whisker collected an Ashton clearing kick at pace, making good ground into centre field, quick recycled ball gave Nat Wildman the space to break the defending back line and move the ball wide for fullback Alex Lambie to go over in the corner.

With Ormskirk’s backs on top, Ashton began to bring their heavyweight forwards into play and rumbled forward towards the visitors’ twenty two.

A high tackle by Ormskirk allowed the home side to kick the subsequent penalty for a line out five metres from the try line.

Cleanly won ball went through three recycled phases before the forwards crashed over for their opening score.

The 5-12 scoreline made Ormskirk immediately aware they where not going to have an easy afternoon.

A solid lineout catch and drive moved Ormskirk into the Ashton half, moving the ball wide again produced a scoring chance for the backs only for the final pass to go to ground. Fortunately the play was brought back by the referee for a previous offside infringement by the Ashton forwards and Ormskirk increased their lead to 5-15 with the penalty.

Ormskirk were finding the Ashton driving of the forwards difficult to subdue, electing to tackle the upper body rather than tacking low and putting them to ground, they began to slide high and high tackles were penalised by the referee.

After three in succession, the referee lost patience with the visitors, yellow carding Steve Rourke, a ten minute sin binning.

Despite being one man short Ormskirk still took the play to the home side.

Second row Peter Dobson, in no mood to hang around, made successive forays, breaking tackles and forcing Ormskirk into the home twenty two virtually on his own.

Ashton, in disarray by his play, gave away a penalty for offside, which was gratefully converted to push the score to 5-18.

Still a man down Ormskirk pushed further ahead, good work by the forwards created opportunities for the back line to move the ball through hands and Skipper Mike Knowles finished the move with the try, bringing the score to a healthy 5-23 at the half way point.

Determined to carry on as they finished the half, from their own kick off, back row Luke Millington caught the ball cleanly and with the rest of the pack in close support drove for the line.

Ashton were penalised for a ruck infringement and a kick to touch was opted for.

Ormskirk’s catch and drive again worked to perfection as prop forward Kieran Denton Williams went over for a converted score, bringing not only the score to 5-30 but a fourth try bonus point.

With the game seemingly won, Ormskirk became a little lax as from a long Ashton kick off there was indecision, allowing the ball to bounce, which it did straight backwards into the hands of the chasing home forwards.

Their big forwards again gained ground, Ormskirk scrambled their defence but not successfully enough to prevent an Ashton score out wide.

This score seemed to rejuvenate the home side and they attacked with vigour again through their forwards.

Ormskirk prop Paul O’Malley received the second yellow card of the game for not retiring ten metres from an Ashton penalty.

Ormskirk were under more pressure but Ashton dropped the ball as they attacked the twenty two.

The Ashton forwards stopped as they waited for the referee to signal a scrummage but Ormskirk winger Joe Whitfield had other ideas by gathering the ball and out sprinting the despairing defensive cover over the seventy metres to the try line.

The 12 - 35 score line put the game in the bag for Ormskirk but the home side had not given up and the final seven minutes saw them camped close to the Ormskirk try line.

Several successive scrums eventually lead to a third try for the home side.

A strong opening game and result on the road for Ormskirk.

Many positives to be taken from the game, especially the play by the former colts players who have just moved up to senior rugby this year.