Hope Valley RUFC

Date: 20th February 2010
Venue: Home
Result: Loss
Final Score: Hope Valley 5 – Oldham 18

Tries:
Mike Shires – 1

I have added some photos to the galley from the victory over Spartans, credit to Jason Chadwick at the Buxton Advertiser for the photos:

Steve Hudson breaking a tackle to set up Valley’s first score

Adam Cornes carrying the ball

Getting ready to lift in the lineout

Result: Hope Valley 17 – Buxton 7

Match Report:

Hope Valley started strongly, despite the delayed start, with Somerton making a strong run at the visitors. Valley pressure force
d the visitors to concede a penalty with captain Grattan kicking strongly for the line. A clean take saw the ball passed out to the backs, who mounted a strong attack. Buxton gained possession but the Hope tacklers stood up to the test.

The game was being played at a frenetic pace, with strong running and defending from both sides. Valley won a scrum, and a clever kick saw their backs up on Buxton, but the tackling was adjudged to be too high. From yet another Hope penalty Steve Rawson stepped inside the tackler and made excellent ground. The pressure was beginning to tell on Buxton, and they conceded more ground for talking back to the referee. Despite their efforts, Valley were unable to break the deadlock at half time. 0-0.After the break Hope kept up the pressure with a strong run from Hein La Grange just being forced into touch. Valley stole the ball at the resulting lineout, and a great passing move through the backs allowed Joe Dickinson to score, with Ben Somerton adding the conversion, 7-0.

Valley’s confidence continued to grow, and they surged at Buxton again, and another strong backs move saw Dickinson getting his second try out wide to make it 12-0. With their heads up the home side continued attacking, this time through Rawson, and Buxton were forced into making the errors. Excellent work from the Hope pack stopped Buxton gaining any ground, and from a Valley scrum Somerton at number eight drove over powerfully to score a try, but alas he couldn’t convert his own effort 17-0.

Valley continued to pressurise right until the end, but the ball fell loose and Buxton scored a breakaway try in the final minutes, giving a final score of 17-7. The game was played in an excellent spirit and was hard fought by both sides.

Date: 6th February 2010
Venue: Home
Result: Win (Walkover)

Unfortunately, Broughton were not able to make the game so Hope Valley win with a walkover result.

Some of the lads played for Buxton 2nd XV instead, with Dean Ancell scoring 2 tried and Martin Spencer scoring 1.

Date: 6th February 2010
Venue: Home
Result: Loss
Final Score: Hope Valley 8 – Parkonians 14

Tries:
Dave Ryder – 1

Penalties:
Ric Spencer – 1

Match Report

Valley went into this rearranged cup game with several players absent, but started brightly, attacking Parkonians back line through Charmasson, then running a tap penalty at the visitors. Valley continued to pressure without making it count, with unforced errors disrupting the flow of the game. More foraging runs from Cornes, McGuigan, Hudson and Johnson came up against stout defence from the Parkonians side.

The game was halted with an injury to Eyre at hooker, who was replaced by Woodall. Valley pressurised on Parksonians 22, only for the ball to come loose , and the visitors scored a long range try aided by poor valley tackling, with the conversion being kicked from out wide. 0-7. Hope again put pressure on their 22 from the restart through Hodgson, and won a penalty which was kicked by Spencer 3-7.
This only galvanized Parkonians, who attacked again with a passing backs move breaching Valleys defence to score another converted try 3-14. The home sides attacks couldn’t break through, despite valiant attacks from Hodgson and Hudson. Berry replaced Boundy just before half time, with the score remaining 3-14.

The second half saw more attacking from the Hope backs, but again they couldn’t break through. Parkonians continued to tackle and defend stoutly. Valley kicked a penalty just wide, and the valley pack began to get the better of the visitors. The game was all being played in the visitors half, but more running from Hudson, Ryder and Woodhouse still didn’t bear any fruits.

Valley constantly came up against a brick wall, despite the efforts of Warren and Hodgson.  Finally a scrum to Hope brought rewards, with Hodgson picking up and driving from 10 yards out, passing wide for Ryder to score on the wing, unconverted 8-14. Valley piled on the pressure knowing that a converted try would win the game in a nail biting finale. More attacking from the home forwards saw Hodgson dive for the line, with the referee awarding the try. In a commendable show of sportsmanship, this was then not given as skipper Hodgson told the official that he felt he was just short of the line.

Valley fought on but could not make it count, and went down to their first loss of the season, but hopefully will return to winning ways this Saturday at home to Broughton 2nd , 2.15pm kick off.