Semi Final Enoch Lewis Cup Competition.

This was the first meeting of these two clubs for at least 20 years and there was a large crown at the Bandstand field to see what turned out to be a fine game. The early pressure was from the Sports but the Athletic’s defence was resolute. From broken play deep in the Athletic’s half there was some good short ball play from the visitors and some missed tackles from the Sports that allowed fly half Tom Cole to straighten up his attack and ‘new boy’, Lloyd Pemberton crashed through the centres to continue his impressive try scoring record. Cole adding the points.

The Sports then took advantage of an Athletic mistake after some good home team pressure and Nathan Townley struck a good penalty making the score 3-7. The Athletic were looking very sharp in the ‘threes’ and after some good distribution by their centres Nick Hinton was given quick ball on the left wing and he rounded the Sports defence to score half way out. A sound conversion by Cole followed. There may easily have been two more tries for the Athletic before half time if it were not for superb tackling by Sports full back Nathan Townley. Just on half time Cole kicked a good penalty after the Sports were judged to have handled the ball on the ground. With the score at 3-14, the next try was always going to be crucial, so when number 8, Steve Hearne misjudged a clearance kick from the base of the scrum, left wing Nick Hinton could not believe his luck, and the space he was in.

He linked with scrum half Stuart Kenny who scored wide out, a try that was not converted. From the re-start in was Steve Hearne who was back in the action, this time as ‘hero’ as he tackled Cole in possession, drove him 10 yards and from the following quick ball distribution, centre Paul Jurkiewicz cut through the visitors to score near the posts. Townley making no mistake with the kick.

At this stage it was very muck ‘end to end’ rugby with the big crowd being well appreciative of the endaevours. Again it was the Athletic’s quick ball and the joining in the line of full back Johnny Nation that unlocked the Sports defence. He created the space for Nick Hinton to score his second, a well executed try wide out, and take the score to 10-27.

The Sports continued to push at the visitors but their defence was holding well and in trying so hard the Sports conceded another penalty near the final whistle and Cole wrapped up a deserved win for the Athletic with a good penalty kick. The game was quite even in the tight, and at forward, with both back rows laying their bodies on the line. However, it was the threes for the Athletic that won the day. They were sharp and had it not been for great tackling by Ian John, Townley and Paul Jurkiewicz, the score would have been more.