Elks open season with win on the road

Classic Drinks Man of the Match – JJ Connolly

The season got off to a flying start with an exhilarating game in the quaint market town of Spalding in Lincolnshire.
The Elks made the trip with a side that has managed to retain the majority of last season’s squad and welcoming back Greg Taylor, who missed the second half of the last campaign with injury, JJ Connolly who has returned from an extended working holiday abroad and likewise Ben Gatehouse. Only one new face appeared with Beau Carney, making his debut after joining from Rugby Lions, to join old school pal Greg Taylor.
The opening minutes were played at a frantic pace and the Elks could have taken the lead with only two minutes gone but Connolly fell short with a long range penalty attempt. A second penalty shortly afterwards saw Lewis Taylor, the youngest of the three brothers in the side, take a quick tap and feed Carney who took play into Spalding’s twenty two. Quickly recycled ball enabled the elder Taylor, Dan, feed brother Greg who sped into the corner.. Connolly’s conversion attempt drifted wide leaving the score 0-5 after five minutes.
As both sets of players looked to move the ball at every opportunity Spalding’s adventure was rewarded with a penalty which Rayner converted to reduce the arrears to 3-5 after three minutes later.
With the sides settling into their rhythms early season rustiness was evident as both sides made basic handling errors and took the wrong options. The Elks were further punished on twenty one minutes when their failure to clear their lines presented the home side with territorial advantage. A series of driving mauls provided quality ball which the Spalding backs moved quickly to give Childs space enough to score in the corner. Rayner’s conversion gave the home side a 10-5 lead.
The Elks’ back row of Captain Steve Quinn, Carney and Simon Bennett were starting to make their mark, combining with the backs to keep the ball alive and the tempo high. The Elks finally reduced the arrears when Ellis Hallam, Greg Taylor and Carney combined to counter attack from deep and earn a penalty which Connolly slotted from thirty five minutes making it 10-8. A further Connolly penalty, following good work from prop Jason Falls, hooker Marc Moore and Bennett brought the score to 10-11 in the Elks favour.
As the first half closed the Elks scrum was beginning to gain the upper hand with Mat McGuire, Moore and Falls providing a solid platform. Likewise the lineout options of Adam Stoker, Paul Shoebridge and Quinn provided a regular supply of usable ball. Solid Spalding defence however denied the visitors a score and kept the scoreboard static.
Into injury time for the half the Elks could have come undone when Quinn was yellow carded for an offence following a lineout and Rayner gave Spalding the half time lead with a penalty from forty metres, very much against the run of play.

The second half started with the Elks two points adrift and Quinn in the sin bin. Despite their disadvantage they upped the tempo and carried play into Spalding’s twenty two. A solid scrum allowed Bennett to pick up and feed Lewis Taylor who in turn found Connolly who dummied and darted over between the posts. The conversion of his own try saw the Elks regain the lead at 13-18. Having served a solid shift on the second row Shoebridge retired to be replaced by Bryn Vernon thirteen minutes into the half.
Restored to fifteen men the Elks began to dominate the game territorially but Spalding continued to search for space and always looked dangerous on the counter attack. They regained the lead on fifty seven minutes when a misunderstanding in defence allowed Hankinson to stroll through midfield and feed Childs for his second try converted by Rayner leaving the score 20-18.
The Elks continued to spread the ball and a Rudkin break, supported by Dan Taylor, could have regained the lead but Taylor was stopped inches short.
The visitors efforts were frantic but a tendency to concede penalties denied continuity and enabled Spalding to defend their slender lead which was increased by a further Rayner penalty to 23-18 following a late tackle.
With only five minutes remaining a storming run from winger Dan Mahoney, combining with Vernon and Stoker, gave Connolly a long range penalty which he calmly slotted over to reduce the gap to 23-21.
As the clock ran down the Elks kept their shape and a Stoker lineout take was driven in field. When the ball was released backs and forwards combined to set up a series of dynamic rucks to take play within drop goal range and Connolly duly obliged to snatch the lead in injury time to leave the score 23-24.
A victory on the road is very much a positive in such a competitive league and the nature of the victory bodes well for the spirit and determination within the squad. With a number of players due to return from injury in the coming weeks competition for places within the side looks healthy. Once the rustiness has been ironed out and players have become familiar with each other the Ilkeston faithful can look forward to some exciting rugby this season.