Kirk hold leaders - but it should have been a win
BEING on the wrong side of two close results in the preceding weeks, Ormskirk’s encounter with Garstang at Green Lane on Saturday could be seen like a step forward as they held the unbeaten league leaders to a ten all draw.
But this was a fixture that the home side knew they could and should have won, with other results on the day they have now dropped to fifth in the league, one place outside the play-off positions.
Ormskirk began the game positively, opting to take the ball wide when the opportunity presented itself.
Garstang were kept on the back foot as the home side took quick taps at any penalty decisions that were presented to them in midfield areas.
It looked as if a score would come quickly but Ormskirk were hampered by a series of handling errors at crucial moments that halted their momentum and allowed Garstang to catch their breath and gather their forces.
The visitors took advantage to launch their forwards at the home defences, driving deep into the 22.
Ormskirk were up to the task, ripping the ball from Garstang’s grasp in the tackle, they quickly set up a counter attack with skipper Michael Knowles breaking the line and sprinting into the opposition 22.
With two tacklers imminent he released the ball to wide man Gareth Little to open the scoring in the corner.
This 5-0 lead was no more then Ormskirk deserved for all their earlier efforts.
As league leaders, Garstang were not going to roll over and gradually began to find their way into the game.
Using their large second and back row forwards they began to break the gain line with the aim of getting their backs on the move.
The Ormskirk defences were well up for the conflict and managed to contain these forays from approaching too close to their try line.
Garstang were also hampered by some handling errors and penalties at the breakdown.
Ormskirk again used quickly taken penalties in the centre third of the pitch to turn the Garstang defence and put them on the back foot.
Yet momentum was stalled as at the breakdowns Ormskirk’s over eagerness caused them to give away unwanted penalties, allowing Garstang to relieve the pressure with kicks to touch.
On the last play before half time Garstang were awarded a penalty in a very kickable position but opted to take a tap and go for the try which the home defences quickly snuffed out, a decision that could have changed the game’s end result.
Ormskirk knew that Garstang would come at them in the second period and the half time talk was of keeping up the positive go forward approach and strong defence.
The home side did what they talked about and straight from the restart kick were up and into the faces of the opposition.
Number eight Jack Johnston went on a couple of surging runs, just being stopped short of the line before Garstang were able to clear with a kick to touch.
Ormskirk won the line out ball and moved it through the backs hands, with Neil Habberfield driving into the visitors’ defences.
Cleanly won ball at the breakdowns was switched to the blind side for Johnston to make the initial break, before giving the ball wide for Gareth Little to sprint clear and score his second try in the corner.
The 10-0 scoreline was not quite enough of a lead against a side of Garstang’s quality and the home side knew they needed another score.
This was made harder to achieve as Ormskirk began to get on the wrong side of the referee, giving away penalties for offside and not rolling away at the breakdowns.
Garstang were now on the front foot and a foray into the home 22 brought another penalty at the ruck area resulting in a yellow card and ten minutes in the sin bin for Mike Knowles.
Reduced to 14 men, Ormskirk were up against it as Garstang took the penalty short and drove for the line.
The defence held up as the visitors strained to go over through their forwards but defensive players had been sucked in close.
Garstang switched the play wide and found the gap to go over in the corner closing the score to 10-5.
Restored to a full compliment as the ten minute sin binning ended, Ormskirk began to compete again with forays into Garstang territory.
Unfortunately any advantages they gained were nullified by some wrong decisions and an increasing penalty count against them. This reached a head when once again they were penalised at the breakdown and back row Luke Millington was the unfortunate one to receive a yellow card due to the large penalty count against them. Garstang again seized the opportunity to exploit the man advantage, using the crash ball tactic they forced their way over for the equalising try. The remaining ten minutes saw neither side create any scoring opportunities and this hard fought encounter ended with honours even.
Although disappointed with the result, Ormskirk know they can go head to head with the best teams in the league and better discipline will result in better outcomes.
Ormskirk have the chance to prove this in two weeks time on Saturday, November 25 when they again meet with Garstang in the semi-finals of the Alan Stone Lancashire Bowl Cup at Green
Lane.