SUPERB ELKS TRAMPLE BRIDGFORD

Man of the Match - Steve Mahoney.

The Elks made a dream start to their league campaign at the Stute on Saturday. A clinical, efficient, and at times scintillating performance dispatched visitors West Bridgford with eleven tries, ten converted by debutant Neil Stenhouse. With the pitch in perfect condition and the sun shining the conditions were perfect for running rugby and both side played their part to entertain an appreciative crowd.

The scoreboard was kept ticking with the Elks scoring six tries in the first half and five tries in the second. While soundly beaten, the visitors did not surrender and scored two second half tries of their own through the pacey Justyn Gordon.

The tries were shared among eight players. Dan Mahoney, Scott Rudkin, and Dan Taylor each claimed a brace with Lee Chapman, Steve Mahoney, Neil Stenhouse, Jono Falls, and Ben Newton each scoring one. Stenhouse's ten conversions and single try gave him a personal tally of twenty five points.

Any number of players enhanced their reputations and with a number of squad members due to return from injury in the coming weeks the club looks well equipped to mount a serious challenge for promotion.

As always a solid platform is needed if the Elks are to employ the style of rugby they aspire to. This was duly delivered with a solid front five and rampant back row. The trio of Gordon Pringle, Jason Falls and Dean Chapman stood firm in the front row and were also evident around the park. Pringle in particular showed a slight of hand and appetite for work that belies his veteran status. The dominance did not diminish when Tom Hall and Mark Moore replaced Chapman and Falls.

The lineout functioned with the option of using Adam Stoker, Paul Shoebridge, Bryn Locke, and Steve Quinn which kept Bridgford guessing all afternoon. In the back row the ball carrying of Quinn from the base of the scrum was a feature of the game and fully exploited the new laws. Locke and man of the match Steve Mahoney were well used as ball carriers and outgunned their opposite numbers at the breakdown where numerous turnovers were achieved. The use of Ben Newton as replacement for Locke brought fresh legs to the fray and earned him a try.

With a regular supply of quality ball the backs enjoyed a fruitful afternoon. The youngster and debutant Josh Newton enhanced his growing reputation with a lively display at scrum half providing quick ball for his outside backs. The greatest influence on the game was that of another debutant, Neil Stenhouse, at fly half. The length of his kicking out of hand constantly turned defence into attack and denied the visitors any opportunity to exert pressure. The speed, timing and selection of pass created space and changed the focus of attack to the extent that the visitor’s defenders were left chasing shadows.

The centre pairing of Scott Rudkin and Dan Taylor reveled in Stenhouse’s distribution. Rudkin’s strength and ability to offload in the tackle and Taylors pace and eye for the gap earned them two tries each and fashioned scores for the third debutant Lee Chapman, full back Jono Falls and winger Dan Mahoney.

Despite the final score the Elks made a shaky start and took fully fifteen minutes to get the ball over the line. Once in front, however, they moved through the gears to score at more than a point a minute to make it 75 -12 at the final whistle.