Moseley Oak v Silhillians - Saturday 27th April

[jackr]

To all Moseley fans

We play our final league game of the 2012/13 season on Saturday, on the main pitch v Silhillians. We need at least a point from the game to reach a play-off match for promotion to Midlands 1 West, which will be the following week. We would very much appreciate any support in our most important game to date as a club, it would be a massive boost for us to see plenty of Moseley faces there. Kickoff is at 3pm, hope to see you there!


Cheers

Jack Richards

[Communications Team]

Midlands 2 West North
One round of matches remain. Sils have won the league.
The 2nd placed team will enter a play-off with 2nd in Midlands 2 West South.

Team P W Pts
Silhillians 19 16 78
Moseley Oak 19 16 72
Wolverhampton 19 13 68


With one round left, the play-off spot is between Oak and Wolverhampton.
Oak have a 4 point cushion. If tied on points then it first goes to number of wins.
One point for Oak is enough to mean Wolverhampton can’t catch them.

Points Scoring (Identical to the Championship)
Win = 4 points; Draw = 2 points;
1 bonus point for 4 tries; 1 bonus point for losing by 7 or less.


Saturday 27th April – ko 3pm
Bridgnorth v Wolverhampton
Moseley Oak v Silhillians.


PS - Midlands 2 West South
With one match remaining, it is a two horse race.
Therefore Oak or Wolverhsmpton will play Old Laurentians or Kenilworth.

1. Kenilworth P21 – 92 pts
2. Old Laurentians 21 - 91
3. Kidderminster 22 - 78

Saturday, 27 April 2013
Banbury Vs. Old Laurentians
Bedworth Vs. Kenilworth
Banbury are 9th and Bedworth 8th – both are clear of relegation.

[Communications Team]

BIG MATCH PREVIEW – By John Duckers

Moseley Oak v Silhillians
Saturday 27th April
3.00pm KO @ Billesley Common

Moseley Oak aims to turn on the style

Moseley Oak go into the last game of the Midland Two West (North) regular season with everything riding on the result at Billesley Common.

They look likely to need at least a point and maybe two from the fixture to ensure second spot and a play-off place in a shoot-out with their South side counterparts.

So it is all to play for against leaders Silhillians with the home side urging all who love Moseley to come out and cheer.

How will it pan out? There are some interesting permutations…………...

Silhillians are already promoted – six points ahead and impossible to catch.
Will they ease off as a result? Unlikely, one would have thought.

They will want to finish on a high and, with the fixture cancelled several times through bad weather, much to Silhillians’ annoyance, may think there is a point to prove.

Four points adrift in third are Wolverhampton who need to believe they can crush Bridgnorth away, get a bonus victory and overtake Moseley Oak.

But, although Moseley Oak battered Bridgnorth 38-14 at their place last Saturday, it is far from a given that Wolverhampton will win.

Effectively a local derby, Bridgnorth won on Wolverhampton’s own patch in December, the score being 5-12.

So expect no quarter given on either side this weekend.

Moseley are a mere seven ahead of Wolverhampton on points differential so that is too close to call. Hence a win against Silhillians is vital.

Club chairman John Richards said: “It is going to be a great match. We hope to be pretty much at full complement and we have got to go for it. So it should prove an open and exciting game.”

Coach John White added: “I have confidence in the players. We believe we can do it, but it is going to be hard. We need all the support from the touchline we can get.”

Kenilworth and Old Laurentians are battling for top spot in Midlands Two West (South) with just a point between them.

Moseley are taking one hurdle at a time.

But if they get the points they need then the play-off final will be the ultimate showdown.
The South has been dominant in recent seasons but it will mean nothing in a one-off.[/font]

[Communications Team]

MOSELEY OAK 20 – SILHILLIANS 24


A crowd of over 500 watched the final match of Moseley Oak’s regular season at Billesley Common on Saturday 27th April.

This fixture, which had been postponed twice due to the adverse weather in February and March, took place on a mostly dry day with a strong wind blowing up the pitch at Billesley Common.

Moseley Oak began very well using the wind wisely and kicking for position. After 10 minutes a Moseley attack was halted with Silhillians not releasing the tackled player and Pons converted the penalty.

Two minutes later, another Moseley Oak attack led to an attacking scrum in midfield. Slow ball was not suitable for a passing movement and a Pons drop goal resulted to take the score to 6 – nil.

Moseley continued to manage the game well and after 17 minutes an attacking scrum on the Silhillians 22 provided good controlled ball. A fine backs move was executed resulting in Jon Perks scoring untouched under the posts. The try was converted.

Thirteen minutes later after further pressure and control, an attacking scrum on the right led to a beautiful floated pass from Ed Gardiner, right wing Dai Evans ran onto the ball at pace, drew one of the defenders to the left touchline before flicking the ball inside to Moseley Oak Captain and left wing, Jack Richards, who accelerated past the remaining defenders to score under the posts, much to the delight of the Moseley faithful. The try was converted.

With five minutes left in the first half Silhillians began to get some continuity in their game and after a series of forward drives and penalties, they scored a try on the far left which was unconverted.

The second half was a complete reversal of the first half. Silhillians used the wind wisely and took full advantage of two Moseley yellow cards. For several minutes Moseley had only 13 men on the pitch and despite heroic defence, Silhillians scores were inevitable. Firstly a try was scored from an attacking scrum to bring the score to 20 – 10, then a try on the right following more pressure, 20 – 17 and with the last play of the game a penalty awarded to Silhillians during a Moseley attack (hotly disputed by the players and supporters) led to Silhillians attacking uphill on the right and scoring a converted try to bring the final score to 20 – 24.

Silhillians had already won Midlands 2 West North and their comeback demonstrated why they have been such a fine side this season.

Moseley Oak now have it all to do at Laurentians next Saturday in the play-off. Moseley go into this game as underdogs but perhaps that is no bad thing. Whatever it has been a fine season with only four games lost over an eight month period.