Sat 5 Oct 2019
What a great game of rugby, an excellent advert for local league rugby football,played by two teams who were a little rough around the edges but played in an excellent spirit with heart and enthusiasm.
The game was played in almost perfect conditions at breakneck speed with several turnovers and handling errors from both teams,little wonder the lead changed hands five times in the eighty minutes. The result though will stand Melton in good stead for the rest of the season giving a very young side confidence to play their brand of rugby with pace and passion.
The home side started really brightly with some very strong running from Phil Kerr, making his full first team debut,giving a real go forward drive in the loose and with the excellent Tom Allen back at hooker,the forwards were playing together in all facets of play. Melton soon lead from a blistering run by birthday boy Henry Kaczmarczyk showing a clean pair of heels to the opposition.
Skipper Harvey Green landed the conversion and the hosts lead 7.0. Back came Casuals despite some excellent defence from Jack Forfar Sam Dennison and Dan Evans although Melton appeared to switch off at the set piece conceding two tries and a penalty for a 13.7 deficit.
Switching back on, the ball was moved more quickly from Archie Hutchinson as ruck ball became available and Ben Warwick and the outstanding Harry Wood benefited from the time and space. Wood rounded off a great passage of play with a deserved try which Green converted for Melton to nudge into a slender 14.13 advantage at the break.
Was the lead going to be enough though as they were now up the slope into the breeze.
In fairness to both sides they both went out to try and win the game. Casuals scored a try from two penalties as Melton failed to clear their lines and committed a schoolboy error of not looking at the quickly taken penalty;fortunately the conversion drifted wide and Casuals lead 18.14.
Melton threw everything into the match now with Mike Halford coming on to shore up the front row and Chris Rose moved to a more influential scrum half role.
Harry Wood really showed great awareness and determination launching several counter attacks as the game wore on. Firstly he won a penalty which Green launched from nearly 40 metres out to come back to 17.18. Then the try of the match came with ten minutes remaining.Green and Wood combined to set flying winger Will Garnett away on the half way line who immediately ran past the despairing cover tackle and then stepped inside and out to mesmerise the full back on his was to a brilliant try. Green added the extras for a 24.18 lead.
Melton pressed for more and a Green long range effort just drifted wide as the clock ran down. Casuals launched one last attack stealing Melton's line out but brilliant defence from Jake Dixon and Aidan Smith kept out a series of drives in a desperate attempt to level the score by the visitors.
Melton held out and celebrated joyously at the final whistle.
A really good game of rugby with Melton showing up and producing some effective finishing. Work still to be done, but coach Mike Halford now has the raw material to do the job.
Next week Melton entertain Newark RFC in the second round of the National knockout competition which has its grand final at Twickenham. KO is 2.30 at Burton Round headquarters.
