ELKS GO TOP

JJ Connolly - Classic Wines Man of the Match

This was the first opportunity in the New Year that the Elks had to re-engage with the league programme. The first week witnessed them take the scalp of Derby in the Derbyshire Cup quarter-final and last week they fell victim to the weather which cancelled the whole league programme.

From the evidence of the visit to Lincoln the league campaign is back on track but a few tweaks will be needed to ensure it stays so in the coming two weeks. The visit of Spalding to the Stute on Saturday and then the trip to Melton Mowbray are two crucial games as the pecking order at the moment reads Ilkeston, Spalding, and Melton with just four points separating the sides.

Again the squad system was very much in evidence as was a much improving injury list. Steve Quinn made his first return following a knee injury stretching back to late September and Andrew Chapman recorded his first appearance of the season after hand surgery required following the pre-season friendly against Kirkby Lonsdale. Michael Coupland made his first team debut on the wing and Damon Holmes came safely through a rigorous test after niggling injuries and some impressive performances in the Saxons.

The Elks performance was rather a curate’s egg. Sublime in the first forty minutes and bitty in the second with the occasional hint of what they are capable of. Being 27-3 up at half time may have allowed concentration to slip and feel the game was won. While the pace and guile never faltered the pattern faded and the home side were allowed to have far too much influence and rescue themselves from what could and should have been a comprehensive beating.

Into a stiff breeze the Elks were first on the board with a Jono Falls penalty after eight minutes. This was a well deserved score as the visitors had stretched and threatened the home line with the pace and power of their backs.

They increased their lead thee minutes later when a penalty was awarded inside the Lincoln twenty-two. Rich Burne tapped and fed Andrew Chapman, he linked with Steve Mahoney who set up a ruck. The ball was quickly won and JJ Connolly’s deep pass to Greg Taylor on the angle earned the try. Jono Falls converted to give the Elks a 0-10 lead.

The dominance that the front five were enjoying in the set pieces enabled them to roam the park with excess energy and the presence of the artisans, displaying artist’s talents, gave the Elks fluidity that Lincoln had problems coping with. Mat McGuire, Craig Charlton , and Jason Falls drove ball on, were evident at ruck and maul and linked with a fine touch that could see any of them perform at fly half, should they wish to be associated with individuals that operate in the daylight areas outside the front row.

Not to be outdone the engine room of Adam Stoker and Adrian Montague also made their presence felt. In the line out where they generally covered their own ball, Stoker regularly stealing on the Lincoln throw and in the loose where ball presentation was exact and allowed the backs to be released.

A perfect example of the fifteen man approach created the second try. Dan Mahoney fielded a long kick and found Steve Quinn and Rich Burne back to assist. They combined to take play into the Lincoln half and linked with Connolly. His sidestepping run gave Dan Taylor space and create a ruck close to the touch line. Dan Mahoney and Jason Falls ensured it was won quickly and the swiftest of hand moved the ball across the width of the pitch and allowed Coupland to put Greg Taylor over in the corner.

As the first quarter elapsed the Elks looked totally in control but Lincoln rallied and clawed their way back into the Elks half to earn a penalty which Cummings converted to make it 3-15. This was little respite however as the Elks increased their lead to 3-20 on thirty four minutes. The move was started by Coupland deep inside his own half ending in touch inside Lincoln’s twenty two. Stoker stole the throw and Connolly and Dan Taylor conjured a score which owed much to Taylor’s ability to step and bounce off tackles.

The final score of the half was again courtesy of a Stoker steal on Lincoln’s ball, a Dan Taylor break and some powerful running from Dan Mahoney who brushed aside defenders as he scored close to the posts. Jono Falls conversion brought the half time score to 3-27.

Gordon Pringle replaced Jason Falls and Damon Holmes replaced Steve Quinn as the second half started. Within five minutes all looked well and a big score imminent as the Elks enjoying the breeze made the score 3-34. A typical Jono Falls loping run from his own goal line took play into Lincoln’s twenty two. Forwards and backs combined to move the ball left then right to Connolly. With little space to work in he threw a dummy and side stepped his way over, Jono Falls converted.

Alas, apart from the occasional flurry and spurned scoring opportunity, the most notable being Montague charging over from a ruck close to the line and then dropping the ball, the Elks did not add to the score.

Lincoln benefited from the lapses in the Elks concentration and had the best of the half. Their scant reward being a well fashioned try by Whitwell starting from a counter attack by the impressive Calvely.

While not as impressive as in the first half the Elks, however, never looked like losing the game. They always gave the impression that if could rediscover that extra gear, if it were required, and apart from conceding the one converted try limited Lincoln to very few opportunities as they went home 10-34 victors.