Another six tries as Super South smash Syston in the rain!

Super South score six at sodden Syston.

South took the field at Syston determined to pay back the home side for their recent exit from this year’s County Cup competition. The Bale brothers were absent as was Andy Harris replaced by Josh McLaurin and Rhod MacNaughton. Aaron Langan replaced "little Stewie" on the sodden bench joined by Mark Bayley and Danny Graney.

The weather wasn’t great at the start and gradually deteriorated as the rain and wind made handling for both sides very difficult. The pitch was in good condition and stood up well during the game being a credit to the home side’s groundsman, especially as South’s pitch was waterlogged.
Like in the cup game South started off at a pace and had Syston under considerable pressure in the tight encounters. The home side conceded a number of penalties and from a resultant lineout Dan Hurst was driven over by his forward colleagues for South’s first score. Joe Glover wasn’t able to subdue the elements and the conversion was missed. Gareth Clarke then had a strong run out of defence being stopped just short of the Syston line while Will Ward was again imperious in the line out. To be fair Paul Walsh was doing an equally good job in the line out for the hosts
Prop Keiran Stone was forced to leave the pitch after a clash of heads with a team mate.He was replaced by Mark Bayley.
The conditions dictated the style of the game and South kept the ball close and from further home penalty indiscretions a penalty try was awarded to South with Glover adding the extras. Disaster, however, struck as both Lee Miller and captain Luke Coltman saw yellow and Syston tried to take advantage, but were kept at bay with some great South defence. They were eventually rewarded with an Ian Smith penalty goal taking the score to Syston 3 South Leicester 12 points at the interval.

Still down to 13 men South struck first after the break with Mark Bayley rumbling over under the posts after some good approach work and subtle offloading by the South forwards. Glover was narrowly wide with the conversion.
South were beginning to win the kicking battle as both Glover and Mark Lord made good yardage out of hand enabling South to dominate territory and play consistently within the home 22 metre area. No 8 Josh McLaurin was enjoying the physicality of the game and added South’s next score to secure the try scoring bonus point. It was probably the best move of the game as the ball was offloaded in style going though at least six pairs of hands before being touched down under the posts. Remarkable bearing in mind the awful conditions. Glover added the extras to move South into a 24-3 lead. He soon added a penalty goal and the home side’s heads went down and South dominated in all areas.
Further tries were added by Will Keeling who capitalised on a Glover snipe around a scrum and Simon Johnson who was on hand to finish as the Syston pack splintered and went backwards at a great rate of knots. Glover added both conversions for a 41-3 advantage with 10 minutes left. Danny Graney and Aaron Langan replaced Lord and Ward safe in the knowledge that the game was won.

Overall a comprehensive dismantling of South’s nearest local rivals achieved in some style in deteriorating conditions – a somewhat decisive answer to the cup defeat. One of the better and most satisfying of victories of the season so far.
The South forwards were dominant throughout and South’s kicking game was very effective in keeping the pressure on the hosts especially in the second half.

A rest next week then a home showdown with third place Nuneaton to mark the half way point in the season.

Squad: Clarke, Kerr, Keeling, Gates, Smith, Lord, Glover, McLaurin, Johnson, Miller, Hurst, Ward, Stone, Coltman ©, McNaughton, Graney, Bayley, Langan.

Men of the Match: Josh McLaurin and Joe Glover.

Great to see such a large contingent of South supporters adding to the flavour of the game and supporting the boys in the wind and rain.