25 tries, 177 points for and weather suitable for running rugby has seen Moderns rampant in the last three games, producing some great rugby as the season draws towards an end.
The last home game of the season saw Ashby visit Wilford only a week after the sides had met in an action packed 96 point try fest which Mods won 67-29. One thing Mods learnt in that performance was that Ashby don’t give up so training was focussed on being even more clinical this week.
Déjà vu is a phrase often heard this season and Ashby started exactly as they did at home, strengthened by a few students returning to their side from University. With their heavy forwards willing to carry they hammered away at the Moderns line looking to take an early lead. Territorially the visitors were dominant but with the home defence refusing to budge the early exchanges were equal and the game remained scoreless.
Tactically Mods knew how to win the game but Ashby had clearly changed their tactics to prevent the ball getting anywhere near the lively home sides backs. The first attack that Moderns could muster saw them penetrate the visitors defence resulting in a penalty awarded from the subsequent ruck. At this point most teams would have gone for the safety of touch but eager to get in front skipper Steel called upon the monster boot of full back Gaunt who casually slotted the kick over from fully 50 yards.
The score lifted Moderns who began to get more touches as the visitors size saw them tire. Pressure on the Ashby kicker saw the ball fielded by Gaunt who linked smartly with fly half Carroll to release scrum half Petchey to cross in the corner. The conversion was missed but Mods were finally awake and looking to play!
The second try wasn’t long in coming now that the red men were in the mood. An impressive scrum from the lighter Mods pack saw Gaunt released into space and his evasive running created a huge gap for centre Jackson to execute the perfect switch and dot the ball under the posts. Hughes converted putting Mods 15 nil up.
With the half coming to an end and Mods looking to be ruthless in attack the referee reduced the visitors to 14 men for 10 minutes when the outside centre chose to tackle without any arms. With no time for the lineout Steel called upon Gaunt again and the fullback dutifully slotted the penalty from nearly 60 yards to the delight of the crowd.
Half time allowed Mods to refocus and change their plans for the second half. Playing with the slope and with intent to score at every opportunity they set off looking to finish the game early as a contest and build a score to suffocate the visitors.
Again déjà vu was there for all that had been to Ashby the previous week as once again Mods put together a 10 minute spell of try scoring brilliance. Petchey got them on their way taking a well timed pass off Jackson who had fielded a chip over the defence from fly half Carroll inside our own 22 leaving the two youngsters to cover the 80 yards effortlessly. Hughes converted and then got the side back on the front foot again counter attacking instantly from a loose kick in the Ashby half shortly after the restart. His pass found Gaunt, who released Jackson again. The look on Jackson’s face was priceless when looking to his right and hoping to find winger Woodward he saw the evergreen lock O’Kelly but as is the way in recent weeks Mods weren’t phased by this and Jackson allowed the bullocking second row to force his way over from 5 metres....although by the time he’d got back to the half way line this had already increased to 20 metres and included 2 side steps!!! Hughes slotted the conversion from the touchline and with the bonus point secure the home side were on the hunt for more points.
Huge credit must go to the home forwards who were giving on average 2 stone a man away but with technique comes belief and winning ball at scrum time became easier as the smaller home pack really dominated the visiting pack in a destructive passage of scrums. One such scrum saw an impressive hook against the head and with number 8 Hayes going with the wheel and feeding Petchey, winger Hughes rounded his opposite number to cross in the corner. The conversion was missed.
From 18 nil at half time Mods soon found themselves 37 nil up in little time and this was soon 44 nil when scrum half Petchey scored his second hat trick of the season gathering his own kick deep in our 22 to race unchallenged from his own half. Hughes converted.
Déjà vu time again.....just as last week Ashby refused to give up and their efforts to keep playing for the whole 80 minutes regardless of points against was rewarded with 2 quick tries which saw a few lazy defenders miss fairly simple tackles. With one try converted the score was reduced to 44-12 and just as the week before Ashby were starting to think of bonus points.
That feeling of reliving something again (just found thesaurus on Word) came again and Mods soon dampened any ambitions Ashby had by finishing the game in style and passing 50 points for the third week running. Petchey crossed for his fourth try after a blistering scrum from the now rampant home forwards saw another huge scrum against the head leaving Petchey the simple task of walking in to score and Jackson soon followed over for his second of the day when the scrum was used once again to launch a training ground move that came off with style. Hughes converted both bringing the final score to 58-12.
Man of the match – Laurence Parker – a dynamic, destructive display from loose head prop.
Dick of the day – Paul Petchey – for scoring 4 tries!! |