League: Yorkshire League
Bentley v Outlaws
Nottingham Outlaws travelled up the A1 on Saturday to face Doncaster outfit Bentley on the back of three successive Yorkshire Premier defeats. Despite a much improved performance they could not overcome a physically dominant opposition tand that elusive win still evaded them as they crashed to a 30-6 defeat.
After last week’s postponement the coaching staff made a number of changes to the team that lost heavily at Queensbury last time out. There were a couple of debutants on show with Andrew Prosser and Malachi Goldson making their first bow in the senior squad after impressing in the Development team in recent weeks. There were a few positional changes too with James Amachree having a first run out in the all important number nine position.
The match couldn’t have got off to a worse start when straight from the kick off the big Bentley pack stormed into the Outlaws red zone. Twice in succession the Outlaws failed to deal with the last tackle play and after two repeat sets they leaked the inevitable try and it was 4-0 to the home team with the Outlaws yet to lay a hand on the ball.
Despite the shaky start the Outlaws hit straight back and nearly equalised with Harry Masini held up over the line and Andrew Prosser coming close as the match developed into an interesting clash of styles between a big Bentley unit playing through the middle and a more mobile Outlaws team that were looking to make inroads out wide. Indeed the match was very even for the opening quarter with neither side gaining the ascendancy in what was developing into an absorbing encounter.
After twenty minutes of stalemate the home side suddenly gained the ascendancy with two trys in a ten minute spell. Both trys were from short range, with the big home forwards crashing over despite the attention of several defenders as the Outlaws defensive line ran out of steam and started to struggle against their larger counterparts.
When the half time whistle went the Outlaws were clearly up against it. Not only were they now 16-0 in arrears but they were facing a mounting injury toll. Stand off Sam Dennison had left the field with five minutes on the clock and could take no further part in the game and he was joined by prop Will Gray, leaving the Outlaws with only two interchange options from the twenty minute mark.
With limited options the Outlaws coaching staff did their best to breath new life into their charges with Josh Fearnley and Josh Adebayo coming on to add some pace but really they could have done with a couple of big forwards to add some beef to a pack that was being outgunned down the middle.
With the Outlaws sixteen points in arrears it was vital that they got the first score in the second stanza if they were to stand any chance of getting something out of the game. They did come close with Freddie Fearnley and Andrew Prosser both making inroads in the red zone but they once again succumbed to the killer blow that effectively sealed the match for the home team.
The problems started when Steve Page saved a certain try with a high shot on his opposite number and with the Outlaws a man down the home side took advantage to score two trys and edge out to an unassailable 26-0 lead.
Despite the match having slipped away from them the Outlaws did not throw in the towel. They threw everything they could at the home side with Freddie Fearnley and Malachi Goldson in particular standing out in another strong period for the Outlaws.
As with the first half, the strong showing from the Outlaws failed to produce a try and they were hit on the break again as the home lead stretched out to 30-0 despite another period of consistent Outlaws pressure.
As the game entered the closing stages the Outlaws once again went looking for the elusive try that their efforts deserved and finally got it!
The score came after some consistent field position in and around the Bentley twenty saw the Outlaws win a penalty and from it they finally managed to get on the scoreboard. The move started on the second play and a superbly weighted pass from James Amachree saw Andrew Prosser latch onto the ball at pace and scorch over for a well taken try on his first team debut.
The final whistle went soon afterwards and whilst the scoreboard registered a 30-4 scoreline it didn’t do justice to what was a gritty performance from an improving Outlaws side.
After the game the players waited eagerly for the man of the match award. Both Harry Masini and Andrew Prosser were in the mix with both having fine performances but prop Sam Andrews took home the bubbly with yet another fine performance against a no-nonsense Bentley front six.
After the game Outlaws player coach Adam Cunliffe was far from disappointed with his team’s efforts commenting ” I thought today was a much improved performance, both with our hard work and by controlling the ruck better than previously. The effort from the squad was really pleasing with two injuries leaving us with a depleted team for most of the game. I believe we are definitely on an upwards trajectory if we keep working hard!”
Next Saturday the Outlaws return to Lenton Lane and they will be looking to break their losing sequence against a Siddal team that currently sits at the top of the division.
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Queensbury v Outlaws
Nottingham Outlaws suffered a third successive defeat in the Yorkshire Premier League on Saturday when they proved to be no match for a powerful Queensbury outfit. Despite plenty of effort the home team were just too big and too fast for the Outlaws to contain and they succumbed to a 64-10 reversal, their heaviest defeat of the season.
The Outlaws went into the game with a number of enforced changes as a mini injury crises hit the squad. Connor Melia came into the centres on debut after showing up well in the Development squad in recent weeks alongside fellow debutant Paddy Ziegler. This freed up Coryn Ward to move into the second row with Ronan Treble.
There were changes on the bench too as Freddie Fearnley continued his development with a spot on the bench alongside debutant Will Gray who signed from Dodworth this week and was pressed into immediate action.
The match kicked off with the Outlaws playing down the slope but even in the early exchanges it was clear that the Outlaws were in for a tough day at the office. In almost every position the Queensbury side were much bigger and much faster than their Nottingham counterparts and they made huge inroads into the Outlaws defence with every carry.
With a monopoly on possession and field position it was only a matter of time before the scoring started and with only five minutes on the clock the home side opened their account with a powerful surge over the line from short range.
There was no respite for the Outlaws in the opening quarter as the home side continued to dominate proceedings, forcing several back to back sets and with it more scores soon followed. Indeed within three minutes of the opening score the home team doubled their lead and they piled on the pressure scoring another three quick-fire trys. With twenty five minutes played the scoreline stood at 28-0 to the rampaging home team and there seemed little the Outlaws could do to stop the rout.
With the temperatures rising the Outlaws began to ring the changes form the bench with Abe Sua and Wil Gray coming off the bench to add some size to an outgunned Outlaws pack.
The entry of Sua and Gray seemed to do the trick for a while. Some excellent shots from Gray in particular steadied the Outlaws defence and at last they began to get the measure of the home side.
Indeed the play began to even up for a while as the Outlaws probed for an opening. Twice the Outlaws were held up over the line and their efforts were finally rewarded on the stroke of half time. A superb drive by Charlie Clarke put the Outlaws in great position and after a few close efforts player-coach Adam Cunliffe put in a neat grubber from close range that he collected himself to dive over the line. He then added the extras from bang in front to reduce the deficit to 28-6 as the first stanza drew to a close.
The improved performance at the end of the first forty carried on into the start of the second stanza. The Outlaws were doing all of the pressing at the start of the second stanza, coming close on several occasions before a show and go by Alex Whittle saw the long-striding loose forward cut through the Queensbury defence to crash over. to reduce the deficit further to 28-10.
After clawing their way back into the game the visiting fans were hoping that their favourites would continue to make inroads into the deficit but unfortunately it was not to be.
The home side, stung by the reversal, roared back up the pitch. Using the slope in their favour and their superior size and speed they simply blew the Outlaws away in a devastating twenty minute spell.
As the temperature climbed the Outlaws defence wilted in the face of a non-stop onslaught. Indeed there was little they could do to stop the home side from scoring as put the Outlaws to the sword, running in no fewer than seven unanswered trys to close out the game as the scoreboard registered a 64-10 scoreline in the home teams favour.
Despite the defeat there were still some stand out performances in the face of the home barrage. Freddie Fearnley continued to show great promise after only a handful game of rugby league games whilst Charlie Clarke worked tirelessly on attack and defence all afternoon. However the man of the match bubbly went to Will Gray who stood out whilst making a fine debut and will no doubt make a big impact when he settles into the side.
The Outlaws now have a week to lick their wounds before another stern test when the entertain East Hull at Lenton Lane next Saturday (2.30pm).
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