Sat 10 Sep 2022, 15:00
There comes a time in every sports team’s life when they make the transition from underdogs to favourites. Over the course of last season Longlevens certainly became the favourites in the Gloucester Premier League and entered each game confident of a convincing win. This season brings a higher league and new challenges, but challenges the team must be confident of meeting head on.
This away fixture at Chipping Sodbury certainly offered that challenge and most of the current team will only remember losing at this ground, thus the first 20 minutes of this fixture resembled a team short on confidence that they could win. Sodbury applied continuous pressure during this period, coupled with Levens giving away far too many penalties. The away side couldn’t string together more than two phases without hearing the shrill of the ref’s whistle and Sodbury capitalised by scored a try converted try under the posts.
From the kick off they seemed to accept the referee’s interpretation of the laws and gave away far fewer penalties, consequently stringing more phases together. This allowed fly half Mike Hagan to control the game and put Sodbury on the back foot. The boys soon realised that they were the better team and if they kept on the ref’s side, they would be able to score points. Longlevens replied with a try on 20 minutes through number 8, Steve Philips. He was on hand to finish off some powerful sets near the line and drove over under the posts, converted, 7-7.
Knowing this game would be a close affair captain Jed Holman-Jones opted for the posts at every three-point opportunity and Brad Wilkins duly obliged by knocking over six points during the rest of the half making the score 7-13.
The penalties began creeping in again towards half time and from a scrum penalty near the line Sodbury tapped quickly and went over for an unconverted score, 12-13 half time.
The half time talk was very much about the need to cut penalties out and build through the phases. This was achieved during the first 10 minutes by moving the ball coast to coast to stretch the defence. The ball was worked from the right to left touchline and Jack Cuthbert popped up in the line to go crash over for an unconverted try, 12-18.
Sodbury responded with a three pointer before Longlevens managed a third try through Cam Jones. Quick ball was put together up the left touchline and Jones squeezed into the corner for a good score. Wilkins converting to make it 15-25.
The game then ebbed and flowed but with Levens in full control. Penalties were still featuring, but both sides were now falling foul of the ref’s whistle. Two penalties were exchanged to make the score 18-28 before the game was sealed with a try from the impressive back rower, Jack Cuthbert, converted, 18-35. There was time for one more score at the death from Sodbury, capitalising on a series of penalties from Levens, making the final score 25-35.
It took Longlevens a while to lose the underdog tag in this game. They were by far the better side and had they not given away so many penalties could have won by 50. Moving forward the boys need to realise that even in this new league they will be one of the strongest sides and must go into each game confident of winning. None of the games will be easy and they will have to dig deep, but they are capable of continuing their winning run.
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