ELKS STUN SCUNNY AT STUTE

Classic Drinks Man of the Match – Paul Shoebridge

On a sunny, early spring afternoon at the Stute the Elks hosted their last home game of this seasons campaign. The opposition was top of the table Scunthorpe, who were no doubt looking to do the double over the Elks as they won 35-0 in the first meeting between the two teams this season. However, Scunthorpe have never succeeded in winning at the Stute and after last weeks match Ilkeston were looking to make a return to form and finish the last match on home soil with a victory. The Elks were fielding a heavily reshuffled team with several key players all unavailable due to injury. Andy Thompson, Adam Stoker, Bryn Vernon, Alan Cook and Taylor brothers Greg and Lewis were all and Simon Bennett, Ben Newton and Damon Holmes joined the squad. The position determined that several players were asked to play out of position. The home team were playing in a royal blue strip to make way for the visitor’s home colour of green and the match was supported by first time sponsors City Electrical Factors.
The game didn’t get off to a great start as the Elks conceded a penalty in the first few minutes of play, immediately leaving them playing catch up as Mark Woolard successfully took the kick putting the opening score at 0-3. The Elks then sprung into action with a good run from Dan Mahoney, his pass on to Rory Maddocks resulted in the stand in centre winning a line out. The Elks reliable lineout retained possession and as the ball was passed to Joel Haigh the scrum half made a darting break and he went over to the side of the posts and opened Ilkeston’s account. He then successfully took the conversion leaving the Elks in the lead at 7-3 just five minutes into play.
Pressure from Scunthorpe soon followed forcing the Elks to defend. Adam Corcoran fell under the pressure and was sin binned for killing the ball on the floor, the resulting simple penalty was converted by Woolard which put the score at 7-6 with fourteen minutes on the clock. The Elks play continued to develop though with a fine rhythm settling into the various phases of their game and with a good linkup between Dan Mahoney, Dan Taylor, Ellis Hallam and Haigh play was pushed to the opposite end of the pitch.
The Elks held their lines through the ten minutes of the sin bin and with Corcoran back on the Elks displayed further solid defending keeping play in the middle of the park, preventing Scunthorpe from pushing forward. The visitors looked threatening from one break but Ben Newton worked hard to put the brakes on a good run from Tom Turtle. The Elk’s uphill efforts were denied minutes before the half time whistle when they were penalised for not rolling away in the tackle presenting Scunthorpe with a penalty. James Wade took the kick well taking the lead back for the visitors on thirty eight minutes. With just seconds of the first forty left to play Paul Shoebridge made a crucial steal on a Scunthorpe line out ensuring the half time score remained at 7-9.
The final forty minutes of the season’s competitive rugby at the Stute kicked off with Tom Holland replacing Jason falls, who was forced off with an injury, in the front row. Immediately the Elks put themselves under pressure by losing a scrum and a lack of concentration in defence gifted Scunthorpe a try courtesy of Kepa Pakka, James Wade converted leaving the Elks trailing 7-16. The home defence swiftly made up for this error by managing to win a penalty, however Joel Haig drifted his attempt just wide from forty five metres. Another substitution then followed for Ilkeston with Ellis Hallam coming off due to a pulled hamstring to be replaced by Ben Marshall who hails from Barbados and plays for his home nation’s international team. Good defensive work from the Elks forced Scunthorpe into an error and an Elks line out followed which they won and then went on to demonstrate a much improved kick and chase game to improve their field position. Overall the Elks were producing a performance which was not only dealing with the efforts of the title chasers but seemed to be capable of causing them some trouble as well.
However, their efforts looked to be doomed when Scunthorpe were awarded a penalty in front of the posts for the Elks being offside in midfield which was successfully taken by James Wade moving the score to 7-19. Despite the difference in score the Elks passion and determination seemed to harden and a forward pass in a promising attack from Scunthorpe provided Ilkeston with a scrum. The fallout from this resulted in a penalty going in favour of the home side which Haig successfully took closing the gap to 10-19 twenty five minutes in. Just minutes later the Elks were again forced into their last available replacement of the match as flanker Damon Holmes came on for Simon Bennett, who had picked up a knock to the knee, forcing a reshuffle in the pack with Steve Quinn moving into the second row.
As play continued the visitors’ Roger Hensby had to spend ten minutes in the sin bin due to foul play in taking out a player off the ball. Ilkeston took advantage of the difference in manpower and good solid work in the maul along with resolute midfield play by Scott Rudkin as the ball was released led to Rory Maddocks crashing over between the posts leaving an easy conversion for Haig which put the score at 17-19. The Elks were given further encouragement seconds after the try when Andy Fish was shown a yellow for collapsing a scrum meaning the visitors were now down to thirteen men. With the points difference closer the atmosphere on and off the pitch intensified making the game all the more exciting. From an Elks’ line out in their own half Rudkin made a fantastic run which saw him gain fully forty yards and showcase excellent ball carrying skills putting Scunthorpe under pressure deep in their own half.
In the dying minutes of the game the pressure took its toll as Scunthorpe conceded a penalty in front of the posts. With Haig lining up the ball silence fell over the stute as the Elks’ faithful waited with baited breath. With the potential of a decisive three points and the hopes of the home supporters balanced on his shoulders Haig did not disappoint as he stroked the ball over to rapturous applause with the score now standing at 20-19 on thirty nine minutes.
The remaining minutes, including three extra, were certainly nail biting and seemed to pass like hours spent in an airport. Scunthorpe were still fighting on and a scrum which lead to an advantage going in their favour saw them push forward once more but their efforts were in vain as the Elks’ defence were not about to give up their lead. As the minutes remaining began to dwindle the volume of the crowd went in the opposite direction and as the final whistle blew the crowd erupted with relief and sheer delight. In the last minutes of play Ilkeston displayed some spirited battling, a great team effort and pure determination which resulted in their first win in a month and let them close the season at the Stute in glory with the final score standing at an incredibly close but well deserved 20-19. With just one game remaining in this campaign, the Elks are already looking forward to next season which sees a new addition to the coaching staff, with Nottingham rugby captain Craig Hammond joining main coaches Scott Rudkin and Dave Hutchinson. No doubt his valuable input will ensure that the Elks end this season and begin the next in winning form.

Match Report – Rochelle O’Dwyer