Match Reports – 15th & 16th February 2025

 ALNWICK 26 – SCUNTHORPE 21

The Greens faced their longest journey of the season to play up in the Northeast at Alnwick and it was ‘Déjà vu’ all over again. The scoreboard showed Scunthorpe 26-0 down at almost the exact moment in the game as the previous week’s game against Heath. However, Alnwick could not add to their score after that, and Tim Robinson’s charges made a much better fist of it almost clutching victory in the last play of the game.

Alnwick started the game like a house on fire playing some very simple but effective rugby. They scored after two minutes with a try from their ex-Newcastle hooker and coach Michael van Vuuren, scrum half Blackett converting. From a penalty in midfield Alnwick kicked to the corner, executed the catch and drive lineout and kept their patience by rewinding the ball eventually scoring under the posts, 7-0.

Four minutes later there was a second try for Alnwick from centre Robson, this also the result of another penalty. Once again, the home side kept the ball for several phases eventually finding the gap score under the posts converted, 14-0.

In the previous week Scunthorpe errors allowed the opponents to score this week Alnwick were playing some very good rugby and Scunthorpe struggled to find an answer. On 12 minutes yet again another penalty this time kicked to the corner, the catch and drive lineout was fruitful as Scunthorpe were out-muscled, van Vuuren collected his second try, and the scrum half missed the conversion, 19-0.

Five minutes later van Vuuren scored his hat-trick try which came from another well executed lineout. Alnwick’s fly half kicked the ball deep into Scunthorpe territory and the defenders failed to deal with the ball effectively as they were bundled into touch giving Alnwick the line out. The catch and drive bore fruit with Blackett converting, 26-0.

Scunthorpe were now devoid of any confidence, and they were facing another precipice. They were given few chances by Alnwick so when they arose, they needed to cash in. One such chance came after 23 min, from a penalty. Ethan Taylor put the ball into the red zone and the catch and drive line out worked but the forwards couldn’t complete it as the chance went begging. Three minutes later skipper Grant Elliot broke the deadlock as quick tap penalties from Joey Mowbray and Nick Dyson allowed Elliot to barrel his way over his way over the line to score under the posts, Taylor converted, 26-7.

Scunthorpe were now on top, possession wise and had three chances to score to get back on terms but fluffed them all and entered half time 26 to 7 down.

Shortly after restart another chance went begging. Scunthorpe had a lineout on the 22 and Ben Hyde was taken out in the air by Alnwick’s No8, who was sent to the bin. The penalty kick allowed Ethan Taylor to put the ball in the corner, but it was lost at the line out.  Alnwick cleared their lines kicked the ball up to the 10m line. The Scunthorpe lineout worked this time with good ball off the top, they went wide and kept possession. Strong work by Will Robinson fed the ball to Lewis Talbot who scored in the corner, Taylor converted. Unfortunately, Robinson was injured in the play and had to leave the field, replaced by Jack Murr, 26-14.

A combination of Scunthorpe’s power play, reminding us of why they are the league leaders, and Alnwick’s strange tactics of kicking the ball to the Greens allowed a glimmer of hope. On 48 minutes the league’s leading try scorer in James Dyson scored yet another try. It came from a penalty after Lewis Talbot was taken out in the air from the Alnwick kick off. The penalty allowed Scunthorpe to bring into play their catch and drive line out. Scunthorpe drove on 20m and James Dyson emerged from the maul to scramble over and score his fifteenth try of the season. Ethan Taylor converted and now they had the home side in their headlights at 26-21.

Five minutes later there was another close shave as Alnwick charged down a kick from Lewis Talbot, their right wing raced down the touch, but he was tackled short of the line. Alnwick rewound, sent a cross-field kick to the left winger but he knocked on, danger over. There then came a period of stalemate as both teams did not want to make a mistake that would cost them the match. They played ariel tennis much to the chagrin of both sets of supporters. Alnwick were given two yellow cards and gave Scunthorpe the best excuse to win the game.

Another chance went begging with ten minutes of the game left some good approach play and the driving maul were very effective. Scunthorpe were on the hunt and constantly putting Alnwick under pressure. However, the inconsistent line out saw the ball lost and looked like it was game over. Man of the match Ben Hyde was immense as he carried ball after ball even though he was battered and bruised. Scunthorpe were really hammering the Alnwick line and to be fair their defence held strong. The last play of the game saw James Dyson going over to score in the corner, but he was tackled, the ball was knocked from his grasp, and it wasn’t to be. The referee blew his whistle for full time and Alnwick hung on to a well-earned victory of 26-21.

The Greens had given their all and to a man they looked exhausted. They showed some real spirit in the second half as they rekindled some of their early season form. Unfortunately for the second week running a shaky first twenty minutes cost them the game. The Greens are still one point clear of Huddersfield with a game in hand, but that lead is gradually being whittled away, and Scunthorpe must go to Ilkley next week and play for the full eighty minutes. The Greens are halfway through run of six tough games in a row and they have not been the most fruitful. Hopefully the players will have recovered from this bruising encounter and go again next Saturday.

Match Report written by Steve Williams

MOTM – Ben Hyde

Photos from Paul McDonald & Stu Locking