Heavy Defeat for Elks

Ilkestons run of poor form continued on Saturday when their visit to Towcester resulted in their third defeat on the run. The confidence and decisiveness shown before the Christmas break seems to have deserted the side and another well below par performance gifted the home side the easiest of victories.

There were some mitigating factors,such as the absence of several key players and the loss of Pringle after seventeen minutes and Dan Taylor and Tom McKelvey early in the second half. When Ben Wells was forced off the visitors were left to play the last twenty minutes with fourteen men. During this period Towcestrians took full advantage of the extra man and the stretched Elks conceeded three tries.

From the start the home side used their knowledge of the sloping pitch to pin the Elks inside their own half. Towcestrians play a limited but effective game employing the forwards to pick and drive or roll mauls. The Elks were drawn into a close quarter game for which they were ill equiped. Fifteen minutes in Towcestrians opened their account. From a line out on the twenty two the forwards mauled the ball infield sucking in the Ellks midfield. When the ball was released Williams found space in a stretched defence and fed Bodilyn who scored at the posts. falvey converted to give them a 7 - 0 lead.

The Elks response was immediate when a penalty earned at the restart was put into the corner by Haigh. Garland secured the ball and fed Quinn who drove for the line. The ball was won at the ruck but turned over in midfield allowing Towcestrians to clear their lines.to touch. Mahoneys quick throw in found Haigh who broke infield . He linked with Quinn, McKelvey and Fowkes to stretch play across the pitch. The ball was spun back and Connollys long pass gave Dan Taylor the opportunity to sidestep his way into the corner to put the Elks on the board at 7 - 5 nineteen mintues in. The try galvanised the visitors as they embraced the physical challenge and enjoyed a twenty minute period when they looked as though the game could be won.

Having established a platform the good work was undone in injury time when failure to secure their own ball at the breakdown leading to turnovers gave Towcestrians two tries in three mintues, the first to Kirby, converted by Falvey, and the second to Williams, making it 19 - 5 at half time.

The Elks started the second half brightly and should have scored at the posts two minutes in when Connolly jinked his way through only to be stopped just short when a pass to support players would have secured a try. The visitors continued to exert pressure and Mahoneys strong run with suport from Meakin and Fowkes should have produced a score but yet again the ball was turned over close to the line. That was close as Elks got as Towcestrians took charge of the game. As the injuries mounted the Elks lost shape and confidence and rarely looked like rescuing the situation.

A try by Wilkinson fifteen minutes into the half, converted by Falvey, took the score to 26 - 5 and when Wells was forced off with concussion the mountain became too big to climb and further tries from George, with two, and Wilkinson, converted by falvey took the final score to 43 - 5.

There were few bright moments for the Elks with the exception of the youngster Meakin, whose scrummaging and general work around the park showed that he is ready to establish himself in the starting line up. To put in such a consumate performance in a generally poor team speaks volumes about his ability and attitude. The coming weeks should see the return of a number of the injured or unavailable regulars and hopefully reestablish the confidence and pattern so evident before Christmas.

Classic Man of the Match Joel Haigh