Moor start with Plate progress
MOOR got their season off to a winning start with a win over Trafford MV at Green Lane on Saturday in the first round of the Lancashire Plate competition.
Historically, the squad of players available at this time of the season hasn’t always been the best, but new coach Mark Edwards was able to field a reasonably strong side for the game, which probably had a lot to do with the regime he has installed during pre-season training. In the absence of both captain and vice-captain, veteran centre Chris Ogden-Smith skippered the side.
From the start, it looked as if the teams were evenly matched, as neither side was able to make telling inroads into each other’s territory. Where Moor did have an advantage was in the set-scrums, as they repeatedly upset the opposition’s put-ins. Metrovick did look menacing in the back line, but solid defensive work by Moor nullified any threat.
It was some 15 minutes into the game before the scoreboard was troubled, when Moor opened their account with a well-taken penalty kick from the boot of debutant-centre, David Donnelly.
The visitors equalised shortly afterwards and this sequence was again repeated as both sides exchanged another penalty kick apiece. With 10 minutes to go to the interval, MV took the lead for the first and only time in the match with yet another penalty, only for Donnelly to slot his third kick on the stroke of halftime, to leave the score at 9-9.
From the restart, Moor kept their opposition pinned down and this pressure was soon rewarded when rightwinger David Adebo fielded a clearance kick and set off on one of his signature mazy runs and when halted, fed flanker Tom Ireland, who darted through a gap to touch down; the try being converted by Donnelly. Not to be out-done, the visitors then had Moor confined deep in their own half of the field and it looked as if the pattern of the first-half might be repeated, where scores were regularly exchanged.
The home side had other ideas however, and turning the ball over deep in their own 22, ran it along their back line where it found left-winger Perkins Joseph who then sped off down the pitch on a 90-metre run, outpacing the opposition cover to score under the posts, making the conversion a formality.
Again, MV came straight back and this time were rewarded with a converted try following a lineout and a series of rucks near the Moor try-line.
This repost highlighted the fact, if it was needed, that Moor could not afford to rest on the cushion of a ‘two-score’ lead and to their credit, they did restore this margin.
It was set-up from an almost identical situation as the visitor’s try – lineout, catch, drive, series of rucks with the final pick up being made by evergreen prop Joe James, who forced his way over to score a try, converted by Donnelly. MV did have the final say though, with an unconverted try a few minutes before the end, but Moor held out to win 30-21.
This was an enjoyable game for spectators to watch and a very promising performance from Moor, which, with additional players becoming available, means that coach Edwards should have a strong squad of players to chose from for the coming season.
Next Saturday, Moor begin their league campaign with a game at Green Lane against Oldershaw, kick off 3pm.