Longlevens RFC

Longlevens got back to winning ways on Saturday with an improved performance, but still some way short of the form they were showing before Christmas.

Due to injuries and unavailability this was a much-changed side, but credit to the players who stepped up, they performed admirably and didn’t look out of place in a first team shirt.

At kick off the conditions were soft underfoot and the wind was howling across the pitch from the clubhouse end. Old Bs started the match the brightest and played the conditions well. They kicked to the corner and dominated the territory for the first 10 minutes, coming away with a penalty for their efforts, 3-0.

The Griffins slowly grew into the game and made some good yards through the middle. From a lineout in the Old bs 22 they set a good drive that was stopped short. From the resulting pick and go prop Dave Edwards burrowed over for an unconverted try, 3-5.

Indiscipline then started to creep in for the visitors which disrupted the flow of their game, this was further augmented by two yellow cards in the space of two minutes, meaning Levens were down to 13 men. To their credit they kept Old bs to one penalty try, even managing a try of their own in the period. More good phases down the middle from hard running forwards such a Cuthbert and Denby allowed play to build towards the 22, from quick ball play moved right and Oliver Deacon showed great hands to put Mike Yorke away in the corner, 10-10.

This was followed up by another try for Edwards who was on hand to finish off some more hard running phases from the forwards and centres, Griffiths and Collier. Old Bs had time for a penalty meaning the half ended 13-17.

Longlevens had the wind in the second half but were now going up the slope, they started with the same effort they ended the first half, getting on the score sheet again on 50 minutes. From an Old Bs scrum on the left a dominant push from the pack turned the ball over and it was whipped away to the right. Good hands allowed space to be created for Yorke to go in for his second, converted by Wilkins, 13-24.

Unfortunately, The Griffins couldn’t completely kill off the Old Bs challenge and they pegged the score back with a well worked try under the posts, 20-24. A series of continued pressure and line breaks followed from Levens resulting in the ball being adjudged to have been held up on four occasions, however a score did finally come from Joe Weatherley to increase the score to 20-31.

Speedy winger Jake Fox was finally given the space he needed to go round his man on 75 minutes. His fellow winger Yorke came into the line well to create space and Fox showed good pace to go in at the corner, 20-36. Again, Old Bs were still showing heart and finished the game off with a third try, final score 27-36.

This was a step in the right direction and it was encouraging to see so many players step up and perform so well, veteran second team captain Martin Deacon was many peoples man of the match. The side was also captained extremely well by Cam Jones in the absence of Jed Holman-Jones.

Next week sees the Griffins play third place Midsomer Norton in a must win game.