Wanderers Firework Display a Day Early
“A sparkling performance. We plotted a game plan well and warned of Guy Fawkes complacency before the game and it was great to see the boys put in a fine display ” commented Lee Highgate after the 11 try win over local rivals Rumney.
RUMNEY 0
WANDERERS 69
On an afternoon when the showers gave way to bright sunshine the Wanderers showed their hand from the outset. With the intent to move the ball wide early on, their first attack brought rewards. From a scrum in Rumney territory the ball went into midfield. Phillip Pariyo came off his blindside wing like a rocket to inject pace and having found a hole in the home side defence he raced away evading the cover tacklers to score 0-5. Early on the visitors set piece put the young Rumney side under pressure at lineout and scrum and prevented the home side getting a foothold in the game. With a lineout steal on halfway the forwards drove on and a penalty award allowed Luke Fish to set up good field position. From the subsequent lineout the ball once again went into midfield and James Loxton starburst through to breach the defence. The ball was moved wide and wing Cameron Gibbon crossed in the corner to make it 0-10. It started to look like a very long day for the home side as the Wanderers went further ahead after 20 minutes. Once again it was the midfield causing havoc. This time Josh Male made the crucial break and he superbly offloaded to the supporting Myles Churcher who dived over besides the posts. Fish converted 0-17. Despite being in a whirl like a Catherine wheel Rumney started to warm to their task despite a spell of 10 minutes down to 14 men. With their forwards and backs handling well, they put the Wanderers defence under pressure for the first time. The visitors were forced into some desperate scrambled tackling but they held firm and after Loxton had cleared up near the line Fish launched the ball to relieve the pressure. For the first time the game ebbed and flowed. The visitors seemed to relax as the home side, with their openside flanker like a crackerjack everywhere in attack and defence, gained some parity but before the break the weakness in midfield was once again exploited. From a lineout in Rumney territory Pariyo, enjoying the space and roman candle sunshine on his back, once again raced through the defence to score his second try 0-22. Rumney finished the half strongly with the Wanderers once again coming under pressure but the inexperienced home side couldn’t break the defence down and the sides went into the break with the Wanderers comfortably ahead 0-22.
The Wanderers regrouped at half time and showed from the kick off that there was to be no chance of allowing the home side to get into the game. The traffic light was on green as a break from Lee Highgate took play deep and after some recycling Fish sent the ball wide where Loxton put Pariyo in for his hat-trick try. Fish converted from the touchline to make it 0-29. With the result not in doubt and Rumney still battling hard it became a matter of control for the visitors. For once the point of attack changed as, from a penalty, the forwards took on a trundle from a lineout. With a sizeable weight advantage (Joe Russell) the Wanderers drove on and captain Russell was last to hold onto the ball as they crashed over the line for the 6th try. Fish converted 0-36. The Wanderers freshened up their legs bringing on the cavalry for the last 20 as the game opened up and despite the score-line at no point did Rumney cascade downwards. Michael Owen was next on the scoresheet as he accepted an overthrown lineout. Despite plenty of attention from would be tacklers he surged on with some neat footwork then real strength to carry the defence over the line. Fish added his 4thconversion 0-43. The home side battled on but a banger of a tackle from Gibbon prevented a score and once again Rumney’s chance was gone. The scoring continued and once again it was the midfield who provided the chance. This time it was Gibbon the provider whose angle bombed the defence and after being hauled down just short of the line Owen gathered up the ball to crash over under the posts for his second try. Fish converted 0-50. The touch paper was certainly alight and as legs tired the game opened up and the Wanderers were now happy to attack from deep. Kevin Tallis, on as a sub, turned the ball over in the visitors territory and the ball was shipped wide again. Duracell Jones made ground and with some neat footballing skills from himself and Owen put the ball into the in-goal area and it was Owen who got there first to register a hat-trick of his own in under 15 minutes 0-55. There was to be no damp squib in the last few minutes. Once again Rumney ball was turned over in Wanderers territory and Gibbon rounded off another fine display be racing away to score the tenth try. Fish converted 0-62. The days scoring was finished off with the last display of the game when once again the midfield was breached. This time it was the game orchestrator Fish who made a half break and being far too slow to score himself he handed over to Pariyo who cantered in to score his fourth of the afternoon and to make the final score 0-69.
Wanderers scorers
Tries: Phillip Pariyo (4) Michael Owen (3) Cameron Gibbon (2) Myles Churcher, Joe Russell
Cons: Luke Fish (7)
Massiv man of the match: Michael Owen Special mention Cameron Gibbon