Ellesmere final won by Southbridge

Press, 1 September 1980, Page 19

Ellesmere final won by Southbridge

The Southbridge senior A rugby team beat its Lincoln counterpart, 20-10, in the feature game of the Ellesmere sub-union’s club finals day at Sheffield on Saturday. Southbridge looked a worthy winner of the C.S.B. Trophy — the forwards held an edge in the battle for possession; the loose -men maintained strong pressure on. Lincoln;. ,and the. backs ran . sharply and passed crisply. • Southbridge scored three tries to Lincoln’s one. The Lincoln players must have known at half-time ■that they were in trouble. .They had first use of a I blustery north-west wind but lied by only 10-0 at the interval, through two penality goals by Bob Kerr and a i brilliant opportunist try by; .'the half-back, Les Roberts. ■ Although affected by a stomach complaint, Roberts 'was a potential match-wm-•ner for Lincoln. He combined well with the No. 8, Mike Ryan, and was very sharp on the break, especially on the blind side. < His try was a gem. He snatched the ball from the grasp of his opposite number and sprinted 40 metres to the comer without a hand being laid on him. . . , But quite simply, Lincoln did not win enough good ball in the first half when the conditions were in its favour. Southbridge pushed Lincoln - back in the scrums, spoiling possession for the red-and-blacks from this vital phase, and keeping a check on" the dvnamic Roberts. When' /the Southbridge players had the wind at their backs, they used it effectively, getting the _ball behind the ".Lincoln .defence and. then applying the? pressure. At one stage, Lincoln lost 40 metres and four points as it desperately tried %., . ■ ■ ’ ; '

to clear in the face of an aggressive, bustling Southbridge.

Southbridge attacked well from set play, too. Neville Carter came into the backline from full-back to create overlaps and the left wing, Alistair Mcllraith, scored a fine try after one timely entry by Carter. But there was more to it than that. The alignment of the Southbridge backs was superb, with each man bursting, xm to the ball and flicking-it on within a stride or two. ..

The key to Southbridge’s win, however, lay in the play of the loose forwards, Wayne Love, Graeme Wards, and Alan Palmer. They harried the Lincoln first fiveeighths, Ken Taylor, often cutting him off from his outsides, and they were bruising and powerful on the charge. A solid core of Southbridge supporters became more and more excited as the second half wore on, and it was an elated bunch that trooped off to the beer tent when the final whistle blew. For Southbridge: Tries by Mcllraith (2) and Wayne Love; two penalties by Neville Carter; conversion by Winston Partridge. For Lincoln: Try by Roberts; two penalty goals by Kerr. •: . Other results were: Senior A.— C.S.B. Pennant (for winner • of bottom four): Banks Peninsula 9, Burnham 3. . Senior B.— C.S.B. President’s Trophy: Prebbleton 16, Dunsandel 0. C.S.B. ■ Pennant: Waihora 4, Irwell 4. Senior reserve. — C.S.B. Trophy: Southbridge 12, Leeston 3. C.S.B. Pennant: Darfield 15, Selwyn 3. Under 21; : Burnham 13, Sheffield 7., ■