Cleckheaton match report

On a damp day in Scunthorpe a minutes silence was observed for Scunthorpe stalwart Keith Robinson. The Greens new starting line included, Marcus Payne, Laurence Pearce and Ethan Heath-Drury
Scunthorpe kick off towards the Queensway end.

With 5 mins gone the Greens were awarded a penalty in the Cleckheaton 22, a quick tap ball by the forwards and after a number of recycled rucks the ball came out to Ethan Taylor who kicked the ball through for it to hit the post protector and bounced fortuitously such that he was able to touch down under the posts. Converting his own try lead to a 7-0 lead with only 5 mins on the clock.

From the kick off the Greens, Lewis Talbot who was unmatched under the high ball all day secured the ball and a run into the Cleckheaton half, lead to a kick forward which was picked up by Cleckheaton, A mistimed tackle led to a yellow card for Will Robinson who had hit the Cleckheaton high with a tackle. From the ensuing penalty the Greens were penalised for not releasing the tackled player and Cleckheaton kicked the penalty. 7-3 on 10 mins.

The Greens then won the ball against the throw at a line out and good continuity saw them go through the phases, Laurence Pearce carried the ball into contact, after 2 more phases a try was scored in the corner by Marcus Payne. 12-3. 12 mins Cleckheaton were awarded a penalty for an infringement by the Greens and kick for the corner. They lost the subsequent line out but then are penalised for not releasing the player. The Greens then won the line out and a side step, lead to a searing break by James Dyson which took the Greens into the Cleckheaton half, the follow up the ball is passed inside to the supporting Marcus Payne who is then brought down but quick ruck ball sees the Greens pass the ball through the hands for Josh Lugsden to score in the corner. 17-3 on 20 mins

From a quick penalty by Nick Dyson the Greens take play up into the Cleckheaton half only to knock the ball on. Cleckheaton scrum then shunted back and a penalty is awarded to the Greens who kick for the corner. From a line out Scunthorpe catch and drive only to be stopped short by a Cleckheaton player stopping the maul illegally. The referees decision was that a probable try would not have been scored but issued Cleckheaton No.1 a yellow card for cynical play so close to the line. From the resulting scrum the Greens win the ball quickly through the hands for Ethan Heath-Drury to score under the posts. Ethan Taylor kicked the conversion 24-3. 29 mins.

Played ebbed and flowed for a while but with Cleckheaton always under pressure eventually conceding a penalty 5 metres out. A training ground penalty move by the Greens resulted in a try by Matty Mason. 29-3. 37 mins.
HT Scunthorpe 29 Cleckheaton 3.

The start of the 2nd half saw the Greens under pressure under their own posts but were awarded a scrum after a knock on by Cleckheaton. From the scrum the ball was picked up by Ben Hyde who broke and passed to Laurence Pearce who carried into the Cleckheaton half, a pass back inside to Ben Hyde who ran the remainder of the pitch to score under the try under posts. Conversion by Ethan

Taylor 36-3. 44 mins

The Greens break out from their 22 with a great carry into the Cleckheaton half quickly recycled the ball then passed out only for the Cleckheaton 14 to deliberately knock the ball on. Yellow card. The Greens then kicked to the corner, at the line out on the Cleckheaton 5m line a catch and drive didn’t quite succeed and the ball was lost in going over the line resulting in a 5 metre scrum to Cleckheaton which they won & kicked to touch. At the line out the ball was knocked on by Cleckheaton. From the ensuing scrum the Greens broke and with a break in midfield by Ethan Heath-Drury who was caught but quick ruck ball and two passes saw Laurence Pearce score a try on debut. 41-3 52 mins.
The Greens came under some sustained pressure from Cleckheaton and gave away numerous penalties. Dogged defence saw the Greens hold out. Eventually while kicking for the corner Cleckheaton kicked the ball dead resulting in a scrum on the Greens 22.
Will Harrison now on at scrum half for Joey Mowbray, breaks from the base of the scrum shows an outrageous dummy before passing to James Dyson in support, the ball comes back inside to a supporting Marcus Payne to run in his 2nd try from the 22. Ethan Taylor kicked the conversion 48-3. 64 mins.
Play then carried on with Cleckheaton in the ascendancy but the Greens held out manfully. Cleckheaton were running out of ideas how to get through the Greens defence and went for a kick pass to the wing only for the ball to be spilled in the Greens 22. This was then picked up by Ethan Heath-Drury, a pass inside to Will Robinson who then showed the Cleckheaton team a clean pair of heels to run the ball in from the Scunthorpe 10 metre line.
Ethan Taylor kicked the conversion 55-3 77 mins.
FT Scunthorpe 55 Cleckheaton 3.
A great workman like performance by the whole team, with all the summer signings notching on the score sheet This bodes well for the future. The Greens travel away to last seasons relegated team Huddersfield with a spring in their step. MoM for his ball carrying and uncompromising defence went to skipper Grant Elliot.