Broadstreet Rugby Football Club

‘Street put the record straight in a 36 – 8 six try maximum points haul with a dominant second half display, in “thrashing” fourth placed Black Country visitors Old Halesonians.  

After being unkindly described by the Old Boys' constantly ‘bewildered’ scribe as: “one dimensional”, “reliant on forward play” with “invisible backs” and “boring…” when reporting on ‘Street’s 20 - 14 away win last November at Old Halesonians RFC, Mr Fitzgerald’s one-eyed naivety has been well and truly exposed!  With pre-match threequarter’s disruption on that occasion, fourth placed ‘Street sensibly adapted their game to suit their circumstances and came away with a win against the then table-toppers. This return match showed the real Broadstreet - despite the absence for selection of six squad players, including Captain Chris Wood and also the loss of influential centre Todd Freemantle with just 12 minutes played writes Bob Harcourt.

At the Ivor Preece Field Rugby Ground, first half tries from pacy full back Corey Venus and prop Neil Tatlow together with a conversion and a penalty by Danny Richards gave the home side a slender half time 12 – 8 lead after playing against the wind.  With a week off last Saturday and a pre-kick off torrential downpour, ‘Street looked a little rusty and somewhat over-eager as they took time to settle.  But settle they did in the second period, scoring 24 unanswered points through tries by, lock Andrew Solomon, fly half Danny Richards, right wing Tom Harris and a second for full back Corey Venus with two conversions from Richards.

The first quarter produced a couple of good runs by left winger Tommy Harris and flanker Gareth Turner and a missed long range penalty attempt by Richards, plus the loss of centre Freemantle; [Mrs Freemantle - to her side-lined offspring, “If you need to go to hospital, I’d rather go now because I’m hoping to go out later!”] Tough Love!  But it was mainly a period of dropped passes by both sides, with one good break by Halesowen in ‘Street’s half, setting up an edgy period of defence for the home side. A turnover on their line allowed the Rugby Road boys to clear to half way and a deliberate knock on by a visiting player saw Richards kick deep to the left corner. Another offence during the lineout drive saw a repetition but this time ‘Street - “reliant on forward play” spun the ball wide right, along the backs, where full back Corey Venus joined the line and, with an outrageous dummy, opened a gap to waltz through the defence untouched. Richards missed the conversion, 5 – 0.  Halesowen full back Chris Hooper registered three points when ‘Street offended in front of their posts on catching the restart kick, 3 – 5.  He had a second attempt on 27 minutes when ‘Street were found guilty of ‘crossing’ in their own half but Hooper’s kick sailed left of the uprights - with some justice, as the visitors had escaped two similar ‘crossings’ just prior.  Beau Carney broke from a scrum to feed Tom Harris who made great progress down the right flank only to be forced into touch. Hales' box kicked from the lineout and a good chase saw them find space wide right but ‘Street cover turned over possession only for their clearing kick attempt to be charged down. From the resulting lineout the visitor’s forwards were held up over the line but, from a scrum five, they “one dimensionally” pounded the line until blindside flanker Tom Jordan drove over for an unconverted try, 8 – 5.  Clearly stung by this score, ‘Street replied immediately from the kick off when Gareth Turner fielded the kick return to gallop from his own half to the opposing 22 metre line. Halesowen won the ensuing ruck and again box kicked. Beau Carney ran the ball back, fed Tommy Harris who made progress before ‘Street prop forward Neil Tatlow finished off the play after some controlled ‘pick and go’ by those greedy forwards, Half Time: Broadstreet 12 Old Halesonians 8.

Archie's Dad -   Nick ThatcherKicking off, ‘Street started strongly putting Hales on the back foot and pressure at a defensive ruck 20 metres out provided a turnover. Scrum half Andy Murray; excellently slotting in for absent new father Nick Thatcher on paternity duty, (Congratulations Mr & Mrs Thatcher on the arrival of Archie), exploited poor ruck defence to break through and with lock Andrew Solomon on his left, a simple two on one saw the big man canter in untouched. Richards missed the extras, 17 – 8.  ‘Street pressed again but a huge box kick clearance by the visitor’s scrum half Nathan Jones, relieved pressure to the home 22. [Apart from one, which ‘Street ran back and eventually scored from, Jones’ box-kicking was exemplary].  The home side worked their way back into the Old Boys' half and from a scrum on the 22, ran the ball right, then back left where Richards spotted a gap and raced through to score. His conversion took ‘Street out to 24 – 8 with almost a quarter of the match remaining.  Just before the half hour ‘Street put together some good phases to attack deep into Halesowen territory and from another set piece switch play, put right wing Tom Harris in at the corner for an unconverted try, 29 – 8.

Noticeably tiring, the visitors infringed more frequently and were fortunate not to be shown yellow cards by Northumbrian exchange referee whose generosity and determination to keep the game flowing, over-looked an abundance of ‘lazy running’. Nevertheless, ‘Street had one more to come. What a gem! Running from in front of their posts, threequarters, yes those “invisible” threequarters, Andy Murray, Danny Richards, Jordan Simpson, Will Owen and Corey Venus put together a “boring” 80 metres passage of play; up there with the best seen this season, to sign off with a try by Venus and a Richards conversion for 36 – 8 and still minutes to go.

Cameo Moment:The sixth and final try – classy play from the “invisible men”!

Team: Dawes, Pearl, Tatlow; Andrew Solomon, Matthew Solomon; Turner, Harrop, Carney; Murray, Richards; Harris Tommy, Freemantle, Owen, Harris Tom; Venus. Reps:Pendleton, Beddows, Simpson.

PS. I have just read Halesowen’s Mr F’s verbal “thrashing” of his own players. Could he not have done them the loyalty of saying that they were beaten by a better team on the day? 

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