| At last a match at home following the travelling problems
of recent weeks! This was another must win game for BHS in order to
maintain pressure in the league and stay in with a chance of ultimate
success. |
| Playing on the small prunty,
against the wind and into a lowering winter sun the High School
made an uncharacteristic nervous start to the game. Newry initially took
control and for the first ten minutes just had the edge. However High
School managed to take play to the Newry 22 where from a scrum the first
points of the game were scored . The ball was picked up at the base by
Owen Sweeney who drove forward making good ground. Owen offloaded to
Gareth Adams and the winger flew in at the corner for the try.
The conversion was missed. |
| From the restart Newry again pressurised the High School
side who were guilty of a
number of unforced errors. High School were fortunate when Newry missed a
penalty on the 10 M line. This was soon followed by another penalty
opportunity to Newry which was converted to make the score 5 –3
after 20 minutes. |
| The play ebbed and flowed with neither side fully
controlling the game . Errors continued to abound
and on 25 minutes High School were awarded a penalty following a
high tackle 30 metres from the Newry posts. Pete Taylor converted to
stretch the High School lead. |
| Soon after High School started to show how they can play
with an excellent try. The ball was moved to the left inside the High
School half. A miss move in the centre put Ian Elliott clear and
making ground very quickly. From the next phase the ball was picked up by
Owen Sweeney who crashed over for the try on 30 minutes. Pete Taylor
converted . |
| A period of scrappy play then ensued but once again High
School took the advantage with a try out of the Top Drawer . When the ball
was moved to Neil Hastings some 40 yards out the strong running centre
took off for the Newry line. Newry failed to stop the run and with 3 good
hand-offs Neil sailed in for the try. Pete Taylor had the kicking boots on
and converted again. |
| Newry came back strongly from the restart and managed to
secure a penalty 15 metres out from which they drove over for a try. The
kick was converted and the whistle blew for half time. |
HALF TIME
BHSFP 22 -
NEWRY 10
|
| The second half started with Newry against the elements and
High School fully expected to stretch an already comfortable lead. Newry
however had other ideas and battled hard to get themselves back into the
game. |
|
High School failed to take control and were again
guilty of periods of scrappy play
( Newry were no better in this regard ). It was only through some
sound defence and excellent clearances at the base of the scrum by Jonny
Mayne that kept the score as it was for most of the second half. High
School did threaten the Newry line on
a number of occasions but were invariably thwarted by silly
mistakes. High School also suffered in the second half with two yellow
cards leaving them vulnerable up front against a committed Newry pack. |
| There was little positive to report in this half although
towards the end of the match Newry pressured the High School line and were
rewarded with a series of penalties eventually leading to a converted try. |
| The game finished soon after with a final score of 22-17 . |
| All in all this was a scrappy game which was won by a High
School side playing below par but who always had too much for Newry.
Perhaps complacency played a part but certainly this was a wake up call
for the rest of the league campaign. |
|
| The team now looks forward to yet another marathon trip to
Donegal. Don’t forget your Euros !! |
FINAL SCORE
BHSFP 22
- NEWRY
17
|
Belfast
High School Former Pupils RFC
