East Retford win top of the table clash

Unfortunately it wasn’t to be as a very fit and fast home team took the honours. Keyworth’s generosity once more this season, did them no favours. Arriving with a squad of 19 players, Keyworth then gave East Retford two players to enable them to have a full side and a substitute. When Keyworth then lost prop Neil Muter just 10 minutes or so into the game, all advantage that Keyworth might have had from organising a full squad had evaporated.
The game started well for the visitors with young centre Tom Cooper making some decent incursions. However, the first score went to the North Notts team after 15 minutes of play when they drove close after a 5m scrum then shipped the ball smartly to their winger who crossed neatly in the corner.
Keyworth rallied well and although not everything was firing as it should, they pressurised the home defence. From a line-out halfway into the Retford half, Keyworth spread the ball wide and looked certain to score with a well worked overlap when the referee’s whistle brought them back for a fracas between some of the forwards. Keyworth were frustrated at being denied and it was the green and yellows who struck next on the half hour to double their lead to 10 nil, when Keyworth slapped loose ball back at the lineout and the home team poured through before gathering and moving the ball swiftly to their outside centre who cut through to score.
At the interval, Keyworth, with the wind at their backs believed fully that the game was there for the taking and that the next score had to be theirs. Alas it was not to be as one of the most bizarre incidents ever seen took place right from the kick-off. Keyworth kicked deep to the East Retford forwards and were delighted to see the ball knocked on. However the referee had seen a Keyworth player in front of the kicker and penalised them. East Retford gathered the ball and one of their backs rushed up to half-way, tapped the ball and set off for the Keyworth line. The Keyworth team were preparing for a scrum or to re-take the kick, whichever option their opponents chose and were in no position to react to the player setting off on what was to become a try scoring run when the referee, unbelievably, to both sides, allowed the score to stand. When asked by the Keyworth team, what was happening, he stated that he’d made a mistake and that his decision must stand. The goal-kicker from East Retford at least had the good grace to be sufficiently embarrassed to miss the kick from in front of the posts, but the damage was done and Keyworth were unable to ever recover from such a devastating blow.
Unfortunately it wasn’t the only poor decision from an official who only seemed to blow for penalties when the spectators pointed out to him what he was missing, which was a lot. Keyworth seemed to be resigned to the fact that it just wasn’t going to be their day and whatever they tried just failed to come to fruition. That takes nothing away from a home side who got good numbers to the breakdown and counter-rucked very effectively. Their backs were lively and posed a constant threat when in possession. In defence they were well organised and put Keyworth under great pressure.
On 75 minutes, East Retford broke from midfield and only heroic defence from Jason Holland kept the initial thrust at bay as he made tackle after tackle, but the lack of numbers from the rest of the defence and the good support from the home team made the difference as they crossed for the bonus point try and made the score 20 – 0.
Keyworth scored a late consolation try after some strong drives from the forwards and a succession of penalties against East Retford, as Adam Waldron drove over from close range after great approach work by Wayne Jowett and Adam Sheen. A good note to end on but Keyworth were beaten by a team that were fitter and faster on the day and who will probably go on to win the Pennant League title. It’s now up to Keyworth 2s to make sure that they get the runners-up slot.
A big thanks to Liam Harrison and Ashley Waldron who played for East Retford and acquitted themselves well. Mark Scott did superbly in the scrummage as he moved from No 8 up to Loose-head prop after only 10 minutes. Jason Holland played well throughout and kept his backs moving. Young Tom Burnham was hungry for work when he got his chance and showed up well. Phil Dennett carried well from tapped penalties and in the loose but all too often he was left isolated by the rest of his pack.
So Keyworth continue on their travels next week as they go to face an Ollerton team that competed strongly in the fixture earlier in the season. Let’s hope they can return to winning ways and maintain their challenge till the end.