Lymm 7
Sedgley 36

With no first team league games being played this week, Lymm knew they were in for tough afternoon, when Sedgley fielded a powerful and experienced side. Lymm are going through an injury crisis at 1st/2nd team level and were missing some key players through injury and unavailability.

Lymm kicked off and Sedgley showed their quality, by well controlled possession and recycling and eventually created an overlap to score a converted try in the first minute, 0-7. Not long afterwards, Lymm, lost James Sherlock to a shoulder injury. However, rather than lie down, Lymm managed to take the game to Sedgley, led by the strong running of Joe Dowdeswell and Josh Davies.

They were met by stern defence and nearly forced their way over but after good interplay were stopped on the line. Again the injury jinx struck, when Ben Rees was helped off with damaged ribs.

Towards the end of the half, Tom Bray, who had been side-lined for a number of weeks with a hamstring injury and was using the game as a recovery test, took a bang to the knee and was taken off. Lymm continued to press but Sedgley always looked dangerous when they had the ball, moving it at pace with every opportunity. Then just before half time they scored another converted try.

Ht 0-14

During the break, it was emphasised that we had to keep the pressure on them in defence if we were to achieve anything. From the restart, Lymm put together some good phases, taking the game to the visitors and Richie McEvoy conjured a try from nothing, making a break from stand-off, rounding two defenders for Josh Davies to convert, 7-14. This stung Sedgley into action and some weak defence allowed them to score an unconverted try and a penalty goal, 7-22.

The next twenty minutes Lymm managed to keep them at bay but eventually their superior fitness and size took its toll and Lymm conceded two converted tries in the last ten minutes to make the final score, 7-36. This again was a brave performance against experienced opposition, with everyone putting in a great effort. Things were not made easy by losing four players to injury. In the forwards Joe Dowdeswell, James Pitcher and Henry Baldwin never took a backward step and Tom Baker always took the attacking line, continually proving to be a dangerous runner. Next week they are away to Fylde 2’s.

Squad:

J Hamer, R Forrest, J Davies, J Dowdeswell , J Reynolds, T Bray, T Baker, B Rees J Pitcher, W Baldwin, H Baldwin, J Sherlock , N Ashton, R Makin, J Porteus. Replacements: G Woods, R McEvoy, G Robertson