ELKS LOOK LAME BUT RETAIN TOP SPOT

Classic Drinks Man of the Match – Dan Taylor.

As the season enters the final quarter Ilkeston continue to set the pace and after Saturday’s victory away at Ashbourne they still occupy the top spot.
This is a very competitive league and the two well organised defences exercised a stranglehold on the game for long periods. With both sides missing key players through unavailability and, in Ashbourne’s case, players wishing to save themselves for this weeks Shrovetide ‘Football’ game it would prove a point to see which team had the greater strength in depth. The Elks triumphed through sheer force of will and inspirational touches from Man of the Match, Dan Taylor, forging two tries in the last quarter.

The Ashbourne defence had initially given the visitors no respite all afternoon for the exception of a try after ten minutes which hinted at a much more open game than the one which developed before the good crowd. Before Dan Taylor’s intervention the Elks trailed 10 – 8 with barely seventeen minutes to go and rarely looked as they would pick the lock of the home side’s defence.

The Elks started in vibrant fashion and forced Ashbourne into their twenty-two playing uphill at the start of the first half. A scrum close to the line provided Steve Quinn with the opportunity to pick and charge from the base of the scrimmage towards the line. He was stopped just short but Adrian Montague was on hand to secure the ball and force his way over. James Connolly missed the conversion leaving the Elks 0 -5 to the good after eight minutes. However, the home side’s response was swift and forced the visitors to concede a penalty but Hutchinson’s kick drifted wide in the strong wind.

Attempting to develop their normal flowing game the Elks could not find their rhythm. The ball repeatedly failed to go to hand and turnovers were conceded courtesy of the ferocity of the tackling encountered. The Elk’s wingers, Josh Newton and Greg Taylor were looking as though they would be in need of survival blankets at halftime such was the paucity of the supply along the three-quarter line. The Elks were fortunate not to gift three points to Ashbourne when, following one of the many turnovers, inside their own twenty-two, Ashbourne’s backs linked swiftly and released Bettany to cross the Elk’s line in the corner only for the ball to be dislodged by a combination of Adam Stoker and Bryn Locke before he could ground the ball.

Despite the fright the Elks attacked from the scrum five and Scott Rudkin, Alan Cook and Greg Taylor at last found some fluidity and swept play the length of the field, Steve Mahoney stole the ensuing lineout ball and drove infield to earn a penalty at the breakdown. Connolly converted the penalty attempt to give the Elks a 0 – 8 lead after twenty six minutes.

Montague departed from the field of play soon afterwards with a leg injury to be replaced by Simon Bennett, yet another of the Elk’s impressive youngsters to make his league debut this season. Indeed, despite the concession of one penalty he looked as he had the ability to could cope with the step up in level and perform more regularly at first team level.

The remainder of the half saw play confined to the middle of the sloping pitch as both sides strove to find an opening but with the Elks feeling confident that playing downhill after the break would prove the difference. Ashbourne, however, different ideas and whatever the halftime oranges contained its effect was immediate. Broom turned the ball over on halfway and superb handling, support and off-loading in the tackle put Hutchinson over close to the posts for a try that would grace any game of rugby. His conversion of the try put the score to 7 – 8 with just one minute gone in the second half.

Ilkeston were becoming more rattled with the pace of the Ashbourne response and were unable to stop back chatting to referee Fortt who marched them back on several occasions. Indeed, they were lucky not receive a yellow card, it is a trait that the team must quickly lose if they are to prosper this season and next if they gain promotion. They must all take responsibility for teamship and game management if their undoubted rugby skills are to prosper.

Ashbourne’s tactic of upping the pace and keeping the ball alive stretched the Elks and was rewarded on fifteen minutes when Hutchinson’s coolly taken drop goal gave them a 10 – 8 lead. He should have extended the lead three minutes later but his penalty attempt, courtesy of more Elk’s indiscipline, fell short. Staring defeat in the face the league leaders dug deep and repelled wave after wave of attack before grinding their way into Ashbourne’s territory. The replacement of prop Gordon Pringle with regular loose head Mat McGuire started to give the Elks another option outside of the set piece and the Elks searched for a way back into the game.

Stoker secured a lineout on Ashbourne’s ten metre line the pack rumbled forward. When the ball was released Rudkin finally found some space and his offload in the tackle found Dan Taylor steaming through a gap. With the last defender to beat he deftly fed his brother Greg who touched down between the posts. Connolly converted to give the Elks a 10 -15 lead after sixty five minutes.

With their noses in front they were determined to keep the lead so. The powerful kicking of Kemsley and Connolly ensured the home side were pinned back and with ten minutes remaining the Elks made the game safe with a third try. A solid scrum on Ashbourne’s twenty two metre line allowed scrum half Kemsley to attack the short side. When a gap appeared Dan Taylor was again on hand to exploit the space and leave the defenders flat footed to score between the posts. Connolly added the final points to leave the score 10 – 22 in the Elk’s favour with a tricky trip to the fourth placed side completed successfully although not prettily.