ELKS TRIUMPH AT DERBY

Rich Burne - Classic Wines and Spirits - Man of the Match

As Derby play one league higher than the Elks this Derbyshire Cup Quarter Final tie provided an ideal opportunity to measure the progress that Ilkeston have made this season. As the Elks aspire to achieve promotion it also gave them a taste of what awaits them should their aspirations be met.
Encounters between these two sides are generally tense affairs and this fitted into that pattern. Enforced changes to both sides due to injury, illness and unavailability, the Elks making three changes on the day of the match, added to the occasion to produce a game that lacked continuity but rarely passion.
The Elks dominated the first half and a half time lead of 3-10 was scant reward for the possession and territorial advantage they enjoyed. The early pressure applied by the Elks meant it was fully thirty five minutes before the home side ventured into the visitors twenty-two.
The visitors’ impressive front-row of Mat McGuire, Jason Falls and captain Craig Charlton again produced the goods and never allowed the Derby pack to settle. The unit were responsible for the Elks first chance. A powerful shunt disrupted Derby at the base of their scrum and enabled scrum-half Chris Kemsley to dispossess his opposite number. Dan and brother, Greg Taylor, combined to take play inside Derby’s twenty-two but the opportunity was spurned when the visitors conceded a penalty.
With Adam Stoker and Russ Garland producing good line-out ball the Elks maintained their pressure and Dan Taylor was unlucky to be denied a try when referee, Ms Hodnett, adjudged the final pass to be forward after JJ Connolly and Adrian Montague had worked him into space. However, the constant pressure could not be withstood and on twenty minutes Scott Rudkin and Alan Cook combined in midfield to earn a five metre scrum. The pack did its job and gave Rich Burne a platform from which to pick and power his way over for the opening try. Connolly’s conversion gave the Elks a well deserved seven point lead.
This was increased to 0-10 with a Connolly penalty seven minutes later when Steve Mahoney and McGuire forced Derby to concede the penalty inside their own twenty-two. The Elks were then pegged back when Derby forced a penalty with their first visit to the visitors twenty-two when full-back Dan Taylor was penalised for handling in a ruck under his own posts two minute before the break. The offence earned him a yellow card and Derby three points from the boot of Burrows.
The Elks started the second half much as they played in the first by taking the game to Derby. A weaving run from deep by Jono Falls deserved better reward but did earn a penalty chance for Connolly. He pulled the attempt wide but from the resulting drop-out Steve Mahoney fashioned a superb individual try. Stoker cleanly received the restart and fed Mahoney who jinked and strode over between the posts beating the last two defenders with a delightful sway of the hips to touch down between the posts. Connolly’s conversion advanced the score to 3-17.
From this point the Elks looked to remain in charge but the number of personnel changes in the remainder of the half did disrupt their pattern somewhat and allowed Derby to claw their way back into the match. Dan Mahoney replaced Jono Falls and Gordon Pringle came on for Russ Garland. The pack was reshuffled to move Montague into the second-row with Pringle, normally a prop, operating at blind-side flanker. The rhythm was further interrupted when Rudkin departed, to be replaced by debutant Michael Coupland, and Montague was forced to retire bringing Mark Moore into the action again operating out of his normal front-row position. With the changes the Elks dominance was undermined and they were forced to defend as Derby grew in confidence and looked to exploit the unfamiliar combinations the Elks were forced to employ.
Derby reduced the arrears with a second Burrows penalty fifteen minutes into the half and could have cut the margin further but on the second occasion Burrows’ effort fell short of its target. As Derby continued to press the Elks defence was put through its paces but managed to repulse wave after wave of attack with big hits and big hearts being the order of the day.
Derby did eventually manage to break the Elks line with a try through scrum-half Robinson but the game was already well into injury time and the visitors were left to depart with the spoils and a place in the hat for the semi-final draw.
Next week sees the Elks continue their league campaign at Lincoln k.o. 14:15

Photos are limited as David Bailey left his camera at home. However use the link below to view the photos on Derby's website.

http://www.derbyrugbyfootballclub.com/seniors%202008%2009%20photo%20galleries/010309_1st_xv_v_ilkeston.htm