Spartans set the record straight

Doubts around whether the game would go ahead, surfaced hours before kick-off, with heavy rain overnight affecting the Park Avenue pitches. The green light was given but a move to a smaller, junior XV pitch meant the advantage had swung into the hands of the heavyweight Walcountians pack.

The game started at a frenetic pace with the ball going through lots of hands in the first 10 minutes. The Old Cats forwards were fierce at the breakdown and were securing their backs some quick ball. This led to the first real chance of the half, with full-back George Shaw saving a certain try on his own line, getting his hands under the ball at full stretch.

This shifted the momentum back to Walcountians who were beginning to assert their authority in the pack. Some strong, direct running from openside flanker Tom Baker, as well as the returning Ian ‘Pie’ Richardson and Rob Greahan, started to punch holes in the opposition defence. A quick-tap penalty from scrum-half Andy Gill set the backs free and there was no stopping centre Chris Walsh crashing over from ten yards out — fly-half Tom Harrison narrowly missing the conversion.

The first half continued to be a furious competition in the rucks and debutant Luke Adams (current WGCS 1st XV captain) and old boy Steve Bayles ensured that the impetus stayed with Walcountians. From one of those steals, Harrison was able to set Walsh free down the right, and the burly centre happily smashed through three covering tackles to pop inside to the grateful Adams who slid in for his debut try. Harrison adding the extras.

The game took another twist with the ref pulling his calf shortly after the second try but was fortunately replaced by a willing Old Cats junior coach. The first half continued in a similar vain with the Old Wals pack dominating every scrum and commanding the line-outs through the strong work of Grehan and lock Jim Deakin. Shortly before the whistle, the Old Cats inside centre was yellowed for a tip tackle on Harrison who narrowly missed the ensuing penalty.

The second half started where the Counts had left off, with no. 8 Steve Simmonds and prop Russ Carson carrying hard into the opposition 22. The extra man was proving too much for Old Cats and after a spill in the tackle by their 13, wing Conor Moorhead kicked-through and streaked (naked? Conor?) clear to touch down for the Counts’ third try - Harrison again slotting the conversion.

As the half continued and Cats regained their centre, the momentum shifted to their forward pack, whose pick-and-go tactics were proving fruitful. After a disputed second quick-tap penalty, their wing scooted around two props in the back line and touched down in the corner. Walcountians struck back almost instantly with another bruising run from Walsh who this time showed great awareness to find Shaw steaming through in support, another conversion from Harrison made the score 26-5.

Matt Ratana and Dave Rees came on to bolster the Counts forward pack and both contributed directly to a huge defensive effort to repel the Cats from scoring, after a repeated attack on the Counts try line. However, the Cats no 8. found a way to burrow over in the following play, to take the scores to 26-10.

Fittingly, the last score of the game would fall to the Counts, whose attacking play would be rewarded once more. Luke Adams, now covering at wing, fielded a clearance kick and attacked his opposite man, skinning him on the outside. Showing composure beyond his years, he flipped a pass inside to Harrison, whose instinctive step foxed the covering full-back, and he trotted over for the full five points, adding two extra from the tee.

A fantastic victory against a side that put 42 points past the Counts at Clockhouse in the first league game of the season, really shows how the side have gelled and developed. It was a performance epitomised by inside centre Heath Bateman and blindside wing Dean Grehan who both had huge games in defence. The result sees the counts rise to second in the league, with only Old Cats themselves in front.