Lymm 36 – 21 Exeter University

Lymm take the spoils in fast-paced match

Lymm hosted Exeter University at Beechwood on Saturday. This was just the third time the two clubs had faced each other, with Lymm having prevailed in 2 high scoring matches last season, which together registered 163 points and 24 tries!

With Lymm presently sitting in 4th position in the table with 3 wins out of 4, and the students winless and occupying bottom place, Lymm were very much pre-match favourites. But as early season results tend to be an unreliable guide and given the style of rugby that both teams played in their previous matchups, another close afternoon of entertaining rugby was anticipated.

The Lymm squad showed four changes from the previous week, with Joe Higgins and Lymm debutant Will Hitchen replacing the injured Matty Hand and Alfie Simpson; Nathan Ovien in for the unavailable Fin Williams; and the return of the experienced Josh Hadland for Lewis Stewart.

Lymm kicked off on a fabulous October afternoon under a clear blue sky with a gentle breeze blowing across the pitch. Managing to win the contested ball from the kick-off, and in a reversal of the previous week at Barnstaple, the first period was all Lymm in both possession and field position terms. A series of penalties presented the home side with a number of attacking line-outs, but Exeter were able, by hook or crook, to prevent the Lymm forwards from yielding a return for all their efforts. Then, on 11 minutes, the deadlock was broken when Tom Shard sought to mix things up with a cross-field kick which right-wing Andy Williams took on the bounce to run in relatively unopposed and score to the right of the posts. Shard’s simple conversion made it 7-0 after 12 minutes.

Whilst Exeter had more of the play in the next period, Lymm continued to dominate the set piece and were soon back on the attack. From a scrum just inside Exter territory, Lymm moved the ball cleverly through hands towards the right, putting Williams into space, the winger being able to outflank the covering defence and squeeze in to score by the right-hand corner flag for an unconverted try. 12-0 after 19 minutes.

Exeter then enjoyed a period of much better field opposition and the lion’s share of possession, at the end of which they had scored two converted tries in quick succession – both using clever kicks to get behind the Lymm defence – to put their noses in front on the scoreboard. The first of these, on 23 minutes, was scored by winger Rory Humphries who followed through a grubber kick to touch down. The second went to scrum-half Oliver Bertie, following up a kick by Zach Wall that the winger made when it looked for all money that he was about to be forced into touch. Both tries were converted by fly-half Woody Walker. 12-14 after 28 minutes.

Lymm regained the lead on 35 minutes. Another driving maul from a line out in the Exeter 22, was again halted short of the try line. The ball was moved into midfield and taken into contact by James Hampson. The recycled ball was taken back to the blindside where a wonderful, deft offload by Rhys Lilly, making his 100th appearance for Lymm, put Ovien into space on the left wing. The big Lymm forward was then able to power over in the corner, to register an unconverted try, and draw the scoring for the half to a close.

Half Time: Lymm 17 – 14 Exeter University

Whilst Lymm undoubtedly deserved their halftime lead, the students had shown sufficient defensive grit and an ability to score clever tries when they did have the semblance of a platform to build from. The view from the terraces was that to make the result secure, Lymm would need plenty of patience and to cut out unforced errors.

The half-time team talk from the Lymm coaching staff clearly worked and, just as they had the previous week, Lymm started the second half strongly, scoring two tries in the first few minutes.

The omens were good from the kick-off when the ball immediately found its way into the hands of Hadland, playing his first rugby since the 8th minute of Lymm’s opening match of the season. The Lymm backrower showed his power and pace to make an excellent break through the heart of the Exeter defence but, unfortunately, the move broke down when his inside pass to the supporting runner, didn’t quite go to hand.

A short while later, from a lineout inside the Exeter 22, the Lymm forwards drove the ball towards the tryline. When forward momentum was halted, Sam Dickenson peeled off the maul and linked with Ben Lilley, who was pulled down inches short. The ball was then recycled and moved through the backs where Williams was on hand score in the corner, registering his hattrick and Lymm’s bonus point try in the process. Whilst Shard’s difficult conversion attempt failed to hit the mark, after 45 minutes Lymm were 22-14 to the good.

A few minutes later and Lymm secured the ball from a line-out just inside the Exeter half. After a couple of midfield drives, the ball was then moved back to the right and into the hands of Lilly, who burst through the Exeter defensive line and took the ball to within 10m of the Exeter line where quick and clever interplay with supporting scrum-half Tom Manaton beat the last line of desperate Exeter defence, allowing the Lymm Number 8 to stroll in underneath the posts for what was his 6th try against this opposition in 3 matches. Shard’s simple conversion took the score to 29-14 after 49 minutes.

The next period was largely played out in the middle of the pitch with neither side able to put together a sustained period of possession as errors crept into the game. Then, on 63 minutes, Exeter managed to secure the ball from an attacking lineout and, after a few phases found their way through the Lymm defence, with centre Nick Allison claiming the score. The reliable boot of Walker again adding the extras. 29-21 after 64 minutes.

Lymm remained composed and, on 77 minutes, added another converted try to their points tally. A penalty kick to the corner and, for once, Exeter were unable to stop the powerful Lymm maul crossing the whitewash, with centre Hampson – who had come in from the three-quarter line to join in the fun – claiming the score. 36-21 after 78 minutes with Shard’s successful conversion completing the scoring for the afternoon.

Full Time: Lymm 36 – 21 Exeter University

Both teams should be congratulated on serving up a fast, entertaining match of rugby played in perfect conditions – well they certainly were for the spectators, albeit maybe a little warm for the players!

After the match, a delighted Director of Rugby, Andy Davies, commented:

“That was probably the happiest I have been after one of our matches this season. I thought we showed great composure and class against a very good Exeter Uni outfit.”

“There was some awesome rugby on show today and what a fantastic day it was for the club with all three senior teams winning.”

Team: Ben Lilley (48); James Pitcher*(cc) (118); Dalitso Ngoma (23); Josh Maskery (15); Nathan Ovien (4); Harry Wadsdell (6); Jack Stride* (45); Rhys Lilly* (100); Tom Manaton (54); Tom Shard*(cc) (171); Joe Heaton* (25); Jack Reynolds (57); James Hampson (5); Andy Williams* (35); Alex Muckherjee* (6).

Bench: Logan Byrne (6); Joe Higgins* (43); Sam Dickenson* (20); Josh Hadland* (80); Will Hitchen (1).

( ) = number of Lymm First XV League appearances

* Former Lymm Academy/M&J player

Referee: Timothy Allatt

Match Report: Andy Leach

Photo: Dan Jones

Lymm’s next fixture is on Saturday 10th October 2026 when they travel to Taunton, KO 3:00

Andy Williams Hat Trick Score