Moderns accepted the invite to participate in the Charlie Fehrs memorial game back in the summer and travelled across to Newark with perfect rugby conditions ideal for both clubs to play rugby and celebrate Charlie's life.
With a large partisan crowd in attendance the game kicked off with both teams determined to win after indifferent recent league results and immediately the home team were on the front foot forcing Moderns to defend deep in their own 22. The visitors defence held firm but Moderns were unable to clear their lines with a clearance kick from Mapp charged down and several phases of home attack followed. In recent weeks Moderns would have conceded points but with a steely determined focus they kept the home side out and took the lead with a smartly taken try from winger Rob Pease - back in the First XV after a few weeks absence. Having turned Newark over the Moderns backs launched the perfect counter attack leaving Pease to canter in from half way. Hughes converted putting Moderns into an early 7 nil lead.
With Moderns early score the home support was silenced and the travelling band of merry men winning the banter war in the shed both the players and spectators of the red and whites grew in confidence and Moderns now looked to play from everywhere. Moments after the score the exciting back line marshalled by the evergreen Nick Carroll and including Tom Mapp for the first time this season were on the attack again making ground easily through the Newark's 13 channel. A creative midfield move saw the backs 3 against one but a moments pause and indecision resulted in turn over ball seeing the home sides winger open the scoring for Newark when a couple of would be defenders failed to stop him. With the conversion added the scores were now even again.
Moderns indecision in attack and the accuracy of the backs to convert miss matches was to be an annoying theme to the match and the home side were let back into the game when the visitors should have really been 14 nil up. With confidence now restored it was Newark that took the lead when a penalty in front of the posts was easily converted.
Again Moderns refused to lie down and launched a series of attacks at the home defence. With an indifferent lineout and a scrum being reffed by Ray Charles, Mods refused the lottery of a set piece and looked to stretch the home defence by quick tap penalties. A penalty taken wide on the left wing saw Moderns use their mixture of big forwards and quick backs well and with Newark's inability to defend beyond three phases gaps were opening up all over the field. This presented Moderns with several opportunities to score and the lead was restored when Pease again finished smartly to cross for his second try of the afternoon. The conversion was missed and once again the home side were rattled.
To their credit both teams tried to finished the half by adding to their try total but the half was brought to an end with the game deteriorating into a penalty fest with the referee leaving most of the crowd guessing as to where he was finding his decisions from.
Moderns regrouped at half time with the message of more of the same from their coach and a realisation from the players that pace was key to upsetting the home sides defence. It was soon obvious that the pace was a threat because the home sides tactics changed to counter the Moderns threat and for long periods of the second half the game was a frustrating deadlock with numerous penalties still being awarded by a referee fast losing control of the game. After a few unsavoury skirmishes Moderns were reduced to 14 men for 10 minutes when lock O'Kelly was binned for use of the boot at a ruck. This surprised most of the crowd as Len Goodman had earlier been asked for comments on the home sides number 5's footwork as he repeatedly rehearsed his River Dance routine over the visiting forwards.
Sadly for the visitors this 10 minute spell saw the game drift away as twice Newark made their numerical advantage tell with converted tries when Moderns had ran out of defenders. Wayward kicks under pressure certainly didn't help the visitors either and credit to Newark for identifying the gaps and finishes smartly.
With Mods back to their full compliment they responded positively and finished the game back on the front foot. A smartly taken interception from Carroll saw the pensioner face a 50 yard sprint to score but years of experience saw him draw the covering defence well to release centre Tom Jackson, more than half Carroll's age who finished neatly under the posts. With a few minutes left Mods went for the victory but with time against them and a ever growing amount of cheap shots from the home sides pack their efforts fell short leaving them 5 points shy of victory.
Special mention must go to every Moderns player who gave his all for the club. With the 2nd XV on league duty Mods travelled with only 16 players and everyone put in a great shift. Special thanks to Tom Mapp and Matt Monoghan, both of whom were making their first starts of the season and hopefully not their last. Their experience and efforts throughout the 80 minutes gave much needed steel and bite to the Moderns team.
Squad:
Sam Burkey, Laurence Parker, Rob Freeston, Rich Pascoe, Joe O'Kelly, Gary Steel, Joe Collis, Matt Monoghan, Paul Petchey, Nick Carroll, Rob Pease, Tom Mapp, Tom Jackson, Ben Hughes, Ash Woodward and The Pope! |