KEYWORTH 2s MAKE MINCEMEAT OF MELLISH!

Keyworth started strongly, playing into the stiffest of Widmerpool breezes and soon exerted their authority by driving Adam Waldron over the line for an 8th minute try. The first of many charging runs from the youngster throughout the game.

Pressure was maintained in Mellish’s half of the pitch for the next 15 minutes or so and their scrum was also feeling the pinch. After an injury to their young prop, they had to go to uncontested scrums, which was disappointing for a Keyworth pack, denied their opportunity to scrummage for the umpteenth time this season.

Mark King in the centre drove over the Mellish line to put Keyworth 12 nil up when he converted his own try on 23 minutes. Then the game turned and Mellish came storming back with a great deal of disruptive play, putting Keyworth off their game plan and forcing the home team to defend for the first time.

The Mellish scrum-half, who played well throughout, put in a deep kick and when Keyworth were unable to clear their lines, the following players were able to gather and score in the corner, bringing the visitors right back into it. By 31 minutes, they were level as further defensive mix-ups allowed the Mellish backs to score again and the conversion was added thanks to a generous upright.

That’s how it stayed to half-time and Keyworth turned round hoping to make good use of the wind to pin their opponents deep in their own half. These tactics worked very well and Keyworth didn’t have long to wait before registering their first score through young Matt Pyne, playing his first game for the club. He drove over from short range after good work from the forwards.

Almost from the restart, Jason Holland put in a monster kick which took the home side to within 5m of the Mellish line and from a wayward throw, prop James Maddock pounced like a predatory tiger on the loose ball to give Keyworth clear water. The only downside of this was that Jason subsequently thought he could repeat the trick every time he got the ball. The number of lineouts that followed, from where he’d made the kick, gave concern to some of his less placid teammates.

Keyworth kept up the effort and pressure and it wasn’t much longer before a strong drive down the right hand touchline from a number of players resulted in the skipper putting Aaron Browning in for his first well-deserved try for the club. A final try was added by Matt Pyne when he dived on a loose ball near the Mellish line after some good work by the backs to create the turnover.

It’s possible that Keyworth could have added more tries but on occasions they over-complicated things, but this was a good time to give things a go and see what worked. This was a real team effort and the skipper was proud of the way in which the lads (I use the term loosely, geriatrics and those who’ve only been shaving for a week or two, would probably be a more accurate description!) stuck together, particularly when things got a bit rough midway through the first half and Mellish looked as if they were coming back into it. Keyworth had to look hard to their discipline and they did it well.

Once again, John Scott made the front of the lineout his own personal fiefdom, which was vital on a day when the ball wasn’t going to go accurately anywhere beyond that point. Wayne Jowett belied his years and put in some strong close quarter runs and was very effective round the front of the lineout. Phil Bennett (no, not that Phil Bennett!) did a great job defensively and in making himself available for the hard yards close to the breakdown.

There was strong running and strong tackling in midfield from the likes of Andy Evans, JP Disney and Tom Holmes. Plus Alex Tsang, whose biggest contribution was finally remembering to pick up Matt Pyne and bring him to the club, ran superbly out of defence on several occasions.

Another good win for this team who next week face a determined challenge from Ashfield. Once this is over, there will be a compulsory team-bonding session taking place in a large number of hostelries in town, along with our bretheren in the first team squad, which will only serve to make the mighty Keyworth even stronger!