First XV v Dronfield

It might have been tipping it down in Nottingham, but up at Dronfield it was dry with a light breeze – just right for a good game of rugby, and so it proved.

The match started with Ilkeston playing down the hill, who promptly lost their first lineout and then had to absorb a full 10 minutes of Dronfield possession that slowly worked its way up the slope from half-way to the visitors’ 5m line. Finally the sustained pressure told, and from a maul in the top left corner the ball was popped out on the short side for the home left winger to dive over for the first try. Extras missed.
12 mins; Dronfield 5 – Ilkeston 0.

Ilkeston then had the better of the next 10 minutes or so, with some decent possession taking them into the Dronfield half - twice returning with points from well-struck penalty goals by Joel Haigh – playing at fly-half for the first time this term.
18 mins; 5 – 3.
21 mins; 5 – 6.

More possession, but lost & turned over on half-way; spun quickly right by the Dronfield half-backs creating an all too easy 3-to-1 overlap for the right winger to go into the top right corner. Good conversion from the touchline.
25 mins: 12 – 6.

The penalty count against the home team at the breakdown was mounting; Haigh missed another attempt on goal to the right; finally after 32 minutes Mr Astle’s patience ran out and the Dronfield #6 took a yellow card ‘for the team’. The Elks kicked to the right corner, won the lineout but lost possession again in midfield. A Dronfield lineout was won by the Elks pack, and possession secured from a set scrum on half-way. At last Ese Palmer got the ball in his hands at speed; up into the line from fullback and bursting through 3 or 4 ineffective tackles down the right, he ran it in to touch down behind the posts. Haigh converted.
35 mins; 12 – 13.

Play continued in the middle of the pitch; Dronfield missed a 40m penalty attempt. Ilkeston’s confidence was growing, ran the ball out of their own half, resulting in another 40m Haigh penalty goal.
42 mins; 12 – 16.

Dronfield attacks quelled; Palmer fields the ball, for Haigh to clear well down into the Dronfield 22, where the first half ended with some poor play by both teams losing possession a couple of times each.
HT; 12 – 16. Subs – Off; Simons Hallam & Bennett. On; Kartar Soar & ‘Slim’ Jake Smithurst.

With Ilkeston now playing up the slope the second half started with several minutes play to & fro in the middle of the pitch, and their better discipline allowed the Elks to take control of the game. Si Hallam returned to the fray after his much needed extended half-time break, Dan Rollins coming off to keep Si’s seat warm for him in the bus shelter.
Good line-out take at the front by Kartar Soar, ball moved infield, high tackle; penalty awarded to Ilkeston on the Dronfield 10m line, moved on 10m for mouthing; successful goal kicked from 25m by Haigh.
10 mins; 12 – 19.

Following some kick tennis Chris Tipton tried to run the ball out of his own half; he was penalised at the tackle, but Dronfield couldn’t make anything of their possession in the Elks’ 22 – which ended badly for them when their influential #8 forward took the team’s second yellow card, for lying on the ball.

So play went back to the Dronfield half where the Ilkeston pack upped the intensity. With the man advantage they wrecked a Dronfield scrum – a penalty awarded in front of the posts, which Haigh duly slotted again.
21 mins; 12 – 22.

Straight back down to the other end; Ilkeston penalised 35m out for holding on, but the Dronfield kick at goal was missed.

Middle of the half, middle of the pitch, the Elks took the play to the right, ball fed back to Haigh who launched a long diagonal kick over the defensive line to the top left corner; Soar steamed up the left wing, gathered the ball and touched down. Good call Kartar, well finished. Extras missed. Rollins back on; Slim Jake up to loosehead; Hallam’s good day’s work was over.
25 mins; 12 – 27.

Possession & territory for Dronfield at last, and their man back on from the bin, they took a rolling maul over the line for their third touchdown, plus extras. Joe Marsden off; Jack Crabtree on; Joel Haigh moved up to scrum half.
29 mins; 19 – 27.

Elks took the game back into the Dronfield half but penalised at a scrum on the 22. Dronfield cleared to half-way but overthrew the lineout, allowing Haigh to take the ball back into the Dronfield 22. But it was dropped again and the turnovers by both teams continued. Good pressure & interference off a scrum by Soar forced a lineout on the home 5m line, and after several exchanges in midfield the Elks opted for a scrum 10m out. A couple more surges cleared the way through for Tipton to touch down next to the left post. Extras kicked. Three tries each.
40 mins; 19 – 34.

The game was won but it was the home team who had the final say in the match, creating another 3-to-1 overlap on the right and running in their fourth try – extras missed, but one bonus point gained.
42 mins; Dronfield 24 – Ilkeston 34, which was the final score.

Outscored by 4 tries to 3, it was the experience & know-how of playing at this level 6 for the last few years that saw Ilkeston home for their first win of the season, with 19 points from the boot of Joel Haigh. Good hard work from the back row was noted throughout the game, with a strong debut from James Vincent at 6. Man of the Match is Sam Humphreys for his clean lineout takes and commitment to the cause making tackles all over the park.

by Nick Reade