South take a comprehensive victory as Broad Street see too much yellow!

After getting so close to Longton in their last game South wanted to consolidate their position and ‘up the anti’ against Coventry side Broad Street at Welford Road.
Will Ward, Will Cave, Gareth Clarke and Wes Cartwright all returned with Josh McLaurin starting at 6. Dave Weston, Demo Gonsalves and debutant Dan Hurst making up the bench.

The game kicked off on a warm afternoon with ideal underfoot conditions for running rugby and within four minutes captain Luke Coltman had scored South’s first try. The trademark South rolling maul had splintered the visitor’s defence and the touchdown was made wide to the right. Joe Glover was narrowly wide with the conversion. Not to be outdone Broad Street responded almost immediately moving the ball swiftly to winger Pete Bicknall who went over in the corner. Like Glover before him Danny Richards couldn’t add the conversion so the score was tied at 5 points apiece.
South then took control and gained the forward platform to release their backs.
Sam Greasley and Will Cave were the reciprients as they added tries, both converted by Glover. Broad Street saw yellow as both Richards and hooker Ben Dawes took a ten minute rest. Richards did add a penalty for Street before his touchline sojourn. South then scored another unconverted rolling maul try through Coltman to gain the bonus point before he saw yellow for hugging the aforementioned Dawes.
The scrappy half closed with South leading 24-8.

From the onset of the second half and Greasley’s second try the collective desire seemed to evaporate from the Broad Street side. Perhaps as a consequence from the previous weeks stuffing by Ampthill their confidence was shattered and South ran in another five tries, four being converted by Glover.
A Penalty Try, Greasley added his third (where was the jug?), Cave his second, while replacement Dave Weston and flyer Gareth Kerr added the coup de grace.
Beau Carney was yellow carded during that period as Broad Street had spent 30 minutes of the game down to fourteen men.
With a man advantage South should have scored more as the ball should have been moved wider at every opportunity to exploit the situation. Perhaps a little too much over complication and a lack of quick hands in midfield with a preponderance of some forwards getting in the way!

The victory was what was needed after two narrow defeats against, probably, two of the better sides in the league.

Sam Greasley and Will Cave looking sharp in the backs. Will Ward was impressive both in the lineout and in loose play, with the brothers Bale, Luke Coltman and Rhod McNaughton carrying well throughout.
Replacements Dave Weston and debutant Dan Hurst also showed promise and adding to South’s strength in depth.

It would be churlish to be over critical, but harder tests are on the horizon, none more so than a visit to Scunthorpe’s Heslam Park ground next Saturday and the local home derby with Hinckley the following week.

Squad: Clarke (Weston), Kerr, Keeling, Cave, Greasley, Graney, Glover, Bale C, Cartwright, McLaurin (Hurst), Ward, Bale S, McNaughton, Coltman ©, Bayley (Gonsalves)

Men of the Match: Will Ward, “Billy Whizz” and Will Cave.