L'borough Students 35-25 Birmingham Moseley
Nov 1, 2018 15:17:02 GMT
Steve@Mose, kingsheathlad, and 1 more like this
Post by Communications Team on Nov 1, 2018 15:17:02 GMT
by Glyn Barlow
After what seems like an age we can finally start a match preview by reflecting on a Birmingham Moseley success last weekend.
Following the frustration of four narrow defeats in a row it was indeed good to savour the 31-22 win over Sale FC. Perhaps more pleasing than the result was the nature of the victory as the team delivered a performance that showed great control and tactical awareness, with some impressive attacking rugby as the icing on the cake.
While Birmingham Moseley were celebrating at Billesley Common our next opponents Loughborough Students were pipped to the post at Rosslyn Park 39-3. This loss, Loughborough’s eighth of the season, leaves them at the bottom of the league seven points below Birmingham Moseley. Previous weeks have seen heavy losses to Ampthill 43-34, Caldy 43-19, Bishop’s Stortford 57-25, Rotherham 5-38 and Old Elthamians 48-24.
Loughborough’s only win to date came just two week’s ago with an impressive 39-17 result over Darlington Mowden Park, suggesting this is also a team who may just be turning a corner and should not to be taken lightly.
To date Wing Will Brown and French Second Row Thibaud Flament have proved to be the team’s main source of tries while Full Back Charlie Reed leads the kicking duties with 47 points to his credit.
Last season Birmingham Moseley managed to complete a double over Loughborough winning 36-10 at Billesley Common and 32-33 away on the Students artificial pitch. The away game last season was memorable for being one of only two National One fixtures to be played on what was one of the worst weekends of snow last winter. With road conditions not being conducive to travel in the first place many players “warmed up” for the fixture with a lengthy hike through deep snow to get to the coach at Billesley. We trust it will be a little easier to get to the University this season.
Reflecting on the win over Sale last weekend a number of issues that have plagued the team this season were put to bed. In this game we saw the best display of tactical kicking all season as Birmingham Moseley looked to play expansive rugby in the right areas of the field rather than forcing the game from deep. The reintroduction of Mike Penn at full back has a steadying influence at the back while Sam Hollingsworth grasped his first start this season at fly half with both hands.
The performance was again built on a solid forward platform, underlined at the point when the team were down to fourteen men and the pack pinned Sale in their 22. Indeed it was somewhat surprising that the scrum dominance didn’t lead to more severe sanctions than just the penalties Sale conceded.
It’s usually unfair to single one person out for their contribution to the result, however there can be no argument about James Williams’ man of the match performance. On top of his scoring all but five of the thirty one point haul it was his decisive running from centre, taking the ball at pace, which wreaked havoc with the Sale defensive line. Surely his best performance in red and black to date.
Let’s hope for more of the same from James and the lads this weekend as the team looks to pull away from the bottom of the table.
After what seems like an age we can finally start a match preview by reflecting on a Birmingham Moseley success last weekend.
Following the frustration of four narrow defeats in a row it was indeed good to savour the 31-22 win over Sale FC. Perhaps more pleasing than the result was the nature of the victory as the team delivered a performance that showed great control and tactical awareness, with some impressive attacking rugby as the icing on the cake.
While Birmingham Moseley were celebrating at Billesley Common our next opponents Loughborough Students were pipped to the post at Rosslyn Park 39-3. This loss, Loughborough’s eighth of the season, leaves them at the bottom of the league seven points below Birmingham Moseley. Previous weeks have seen heavy losses to Ampthill 43-34, Caldy 43-19, Bishop’s Stortford 57-25, Rotherham 5-38 and Old Elthamians 48-24.
Loughborough’s only win to date came just two week’s ago with an impressive 39-17 result over Darlington Mowden Park, suggesting this is also a team who may just be turning a corner and should not to be taken lightly.
To date Wing Will Brown and French Second Row Thibaud Flament have proved to be the team’s main source of tries while Full Back Charlie Reed leads the kicking duties with 47 points to his credit.
Last season Birmingham Moseley managed to complete a double over Loughborough winning 36-10 at Billesley Common and 32-33 away on the Students artificial pitch. The away game last season was memorable for being one of only two National One fixtures to be played on what was one of the worst weekends of snow last winter. With road conditions not being conducive to travel in the first place many players “warmed up” for the fixture with a lengthy hike through deep snow to get to the coach at Billesley. We trust it will be a little easier to get to the University this season.
Reflecting on the win over Sale last weekend a number of issues that have plagued the team this season were put to bed. In this game we saw the best display of tactical kicking all season as Birmingham Moseley looked to play expansive rugby in the right areas of the field rather than forcing the game from deep. The reintroduction of Mike Penn at full back has a steadying influence at the back while Sam Hollingsworth grasped his first start this season at fly half with both hands.
The performance was again built on a solid forward platform, underlined at the point when the team were down to fourteen men and the pack pinned Sale in their 22. Indeed it was somewhat surprising that the scrum dominance didn’t lead to more severe sanctions than just the penalties Sale conceded.
It’s usually unfair to single one person out for their contribution to the result, however there can be no argument about James Williams’ man of the match performance. On top of his scoring all but five of the thirty one point haul it was his decisive running from centre, taking the ball at pace, which wreaked havoc with the Sale defensive line. Surely his best performance in red and black to date.
Let’s hope for more of the same from James and the lads this weekend as the team looks to pull away from the bottom of the table.
