ELKS BREAK SEVENTY POINTS AGAIN

Man of the Match - Rich Burne

The cold and foggy conditions at the Stute meant that the floodlights were on at the start of the match against Sleaford. The afternoon was lit up even further with a first half display from the Elks who, despite playing up the slope stormed into a 55 – 7 lead by half-time. However, the second half did not match the heights of the first as the Elks extended their lead by a further nineteen points but not enough to dislodge Spalding from top spot due to an inferior goal difference. Indeed, their inability to use the half time score as a launch pad to rack up an even higher score was down to their inability to play the basics and stick to a game plan. However, this is the third time this season that the Elks have passed the seventy point mark at the Stute this year and if it’s entertainment you want the Stute should be on your shortlist.

The game got off to a sharp start as, with some spectators still emerging from the bar, poor Sleaford from the kick-off led to a five metre scrum. The Elks dominance up front, where Mat McGuire, Jason Falls and Craig Charlton gave their opposite front row a torrid time throughout, immediately came to the fore and the scrum marched its way forward for Man of the Match Rich Burne to touch down for the first of his four tries. Jono Falls missed the conversion from wide but the sticky conditions underfoot proved difficult for his normally accurate kicking from wide out all afternoon. However, he hardly recovered his breath when from the restart Scott Rudkin made a break from the catch by Adam Stoker fed Falls who used his pace to outwit the Sleaford defence to score the first of his two tries with barely five minutes on the clock. He converted his own try to increase the score to 17 – 0.

The action was fast and furious and again the Elks struck direct from the kick-off where Bryn Locke gathered, the back row of Gaz Lewis, Steve Mahoney and Burne cleared the ensuing two rucks and the ball was moved wide from Neil Stenhouse to JJ Connolly. Full back Dan Taylor cut the line and was fed from a nice pass from his brother Greg. Making twenty metres he then threw a long pass to Dan Mahoney who crossed the line wide out to make the score 17 – 0 with only seven minute on the clock. It was becoming apparent that the Elks meant business and those reporting/recording the match would need several sheets of paper if it kept the opening pace. Three minutes later Burne was in the action yet again as he scavenged a loose ball on the floor and a searing break from Connolly took him over the line from fully forty metres. Jono Falls converted to make it 24 – 0 and the clock had just reached ten minutes. At this pace the crowd were drooling over the prospect of a three digit score, something that the scoreboard at the Stute doesn’t have.

Sleaford manfully hung on and tried to pin the Elks back with a series of kicks but these were too close to the Elks back three of Jono Falls, Dan Taylor and Steve Mahoney and were quickly turned into attacking ball by the pace and angles of their lines of running. From one of these returns nice hands from Lewis, appearing in midfield, led to desperate Sleaford defence but the chance was lost with a knock-on. The ensuing Sleaford scrum was shunted backwards and with pressure from Stenhouse on his opposite number the ball was turned into a scrum for the Elks on the Sleaford five metre line. The Elks pack continued their dominance, moved Sleaford back again and Burne grabbed his second try from the pushover. Jono Falls converted once more to make it 31 – 0 with barely a quarter of the game gone.

Again the Elks attacked from the kick-off when a lovely combination from Stenhouse, Connolly and Rudkin led to Dan Taylor producing a delightful chip kick which was fielded by his brother Greg. The centres break was supported by Locke who found Dan Mahoney. Switching back inside the wingers pass found Rudkin who crossed the line only to put a foot over the touch in goal line to nullify what he thought was his first score of the game. Undeterred the Elks continued to produce flowing, lively and pacy rugby. A fine piece of line-out work by Locke was the starting point of the next score. Dan Taylor again cut a lovely angle into the line from full-back receiving a beautifully weighed pass from fly-half Connolly to score his first try. Jono Falls again converted and Sleaford were 38 – 0 down and staring into an abyss. To their credit they then produced ten minutes of good rugby in which they scored a well worked try by centre Dan Hankinson converted by fly half Ryan Batchelor.

The Elks realised that they had to keep the pressure on and with loose-head prop McGuire playing like a fourth back row the side produced a further try for Burne in which the whole team produced a series of flowing breaks, deft handling and good support after thirty two minutes. Jono Falls again converted to leave the score 45 – 7. The Elks again capitalised on the restart when Lewis, Rudkin and Greg Taylor combined from within their own half to again set Dan Taylor free to extend the score to the half century, with Jono Falls missing the conversion. Within two minutes the Elks were again extending the Sleaford defence. A poor clearance kick was fielded by Burne on the Sleaford ten metre line. A show of hands and swivel of hips by the big No.8 took out two defenders and he motored into the twenty two metre time his pass perfectly to Rudkin for his first try and leave the score 55 – 7 at the interval.

The crowd were expectant that the Elks would march further ahead in the second half and although the lead was increased it was not of the margin hoped for. Russ Garland replaced Locke in the second row at halftime and the lineout continued to dominate in the second half. After forty six minutes the Taylor brothers combined on the short side of another dominant Ilkeston scrum. Feeding Jono Falls the winger made twenty metres before the loping Stoker appeared alongside him, took the pass and crashed over unopposed from fifteen metres out. Jono Falls again struck the ball cleanly between the posts for the conversion to move the score on to 62 – 7. After his valiant exertions at tight head prop Charlton was replaced by Dean Chapman after the score but the scrum still continued its dominance. Perhaps trying too hard the Elks started to over elaborate and failed to make the most of several promising chances. The scrum again proved the answer as a strong effort and take against the head saw it march the Sleaford pack back yet again. Burne’s pick and pace off the mark saw him grab his fourth try after fifty four minutes. With the conversion missed the score stood at 67 – 7. Connolly was feeling a slight strain and with bigger matches on the horizon left the field to be replaced by Gay Andrezjewski making his first team debut. With the Elks continuing to press they became too exuberant in trying to win every piece of ball and started to commit a series of penalties which eventually led to Chapman receiving a yellow card for persistent offending after sixty seven minutes. Steve Mahoney moved into the front row and despite being a man down the Elks still held their own and were hardly troubled by the visiting side. With only fourteen men the Elks finished their scoring six minutes before the end when Burne turned over Sleaford in the tackle, fed Dan Taylor who made another searing break wide on the left to feed Jono Falls who touched down despite limping with a hamstring strain to bring his personal tally to twenty two points. Stenhouse converted to finish the scoring at 74 – 7.