Hope Valley RUFC

Hope Valley RUFC entertained Oldham 3rds on Saturday, the away side was late turning up so this gave Valley the chance to warm up and run through a game plan.

This paid off for them from the kick off pinning the visitors in their twenty two and within 5 minutes Oldham was caught by the ref for coming in from the side. Nick Hoyle with the conversion to go three up.

Oldham’s drop out from the half way was a good one which put Valley on the back foot, the home side was defending very well on their try line for six or seven phases, but the defence broke down for the first try to go to Oldham.

With Valley’s line out and set plays working well the team was making a lot of ground to the visitors try line, then Tom Hodgson spotted the defence was flat and chipped over the top and run 30 yards for a great individual effort.

At half time the score was eight points to five to the home team.

Valley started the second half very much like the first very positive but the Oldham side was giving away penalty after penalty for killing the ball and back chatting to the referee. Valley was trying to not get involved and keep their discipline, which they did throughout the game.

The visitors were relentless at disputing all the calls the referee was making this paid off for them with a quick tap and a try in the corner which they couldn’t convert.

The Valley discipline was something to be proud of with Oldham trying to draw Valley players into several different altercations throughout the second half, this seemed to work for Valley channelling their aggression and focusing on the task ahead.

Tom Hodgson again spot the defence was to flat he kicked over the top which their defence couldn’t cope with and knocked the ball on for the ref to play Valley’s advantage. The support was there for Valley in numbers and a pick up from Prop Adam Russell and a 20 yards sprint to run in the winning try for a well deserved victory for the home side.

In the 20 years I have been playing rugby I have never seen the type of abuse that was given to the ref at the end of this game with players from the visiting side being sent off after the final whistle and players not wanting to shake the hand of there opponents, talk about sore loses

Rick

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