Grimsby 28 Loughborough 10
A glorious day of sunshine saw Grimsby record a glorious win against the previous season's high flyers Loughborough. The home side have never played at such a high level, and with several unavailability's, the prospect of last years 3 rd placed team was quite daunting. However, Grimsby are a team who perform best under pressure and a committed performance saw them justly take the match.
The game started with a bang, as the home defence flew into the faces of the visiting back line, with big hits unsettling the Loughborough backs almost immediately. In fact, with only 5 minutes of the game played, a booming, inch perfect up and under from Bradley allowed the timid right winger to fumble the ball, allowing West the simplest of tasks of picking up the ball and falling over to register the opening try. Daly was unsuccessful with the conversion, but one could sense Grimsby giving a sigh of relief knowing that normal league rugby, i.e scoring, was back!
Loughborough were rattled by this, and despite a sudden surge which was defended well, the home side kept up the pressure. After a good scrum 30 metres out, quick hands from the backs rapidly send the ball wide for last years top try scorer Stringer to have a go. Drawing his man well, the clever little chap popped an inside pass back for Thomas to take and gallop over the line without a finger laid upon him. Daly again missed the conversion.
Loughborough refused to sit back and take all the punishment, and immediately camped in the Grimsby half. Possessing a steady scrum they tried to launch several attacks, all of which came to naught, until a poor Grimsby clearance kick allowed the ball to be run back with plenty of space. The visitors quickly moved it along their back line, before off loading to their right winger, who managed to touch down for the try, although full back Daly was unlucky not to force him out of play. The Loughborough kicker missed the tricky conversion.
With the hot sun beating down, the referee called for a water break, allowing the players to cool down and take on much needed refreshment, and also for a quick tactical dissection of the game so far and a few tweaks to the game plan.
The game soon settled into a bit of a stalemate, with neither side able to make inroads into the others half. This remained until Loughborough handled in the ruck 30 metres from the line, directly in front of goal. Up stepped Bradley, keen to show what a summer of hard training had done to his previously unreliable goal kicking. With a thunderous boot, the ball flew true and good to bisect the posts cleanly. This was to be the final play of the half.
The next half started with the visitors unable to make any impression in the home defence. Grimsby were keen to take the initiative, and a series of strong runs forced an error 35 metres from the Loughborough line. Bradley stepped up, and coolly slotted the 3 points on offer. Loughborough were now starting to crumble, and the next score was to hammer the final nail into the coffin. Good hands allowed Daly to break away on the right wing, and as the covering defence piled across, Daly chipped ahead. The first Loughborough defender pulled up, and turned to try and race towards the ball, however, the slightly less intelligently minded player, the outside centre, decided to pull Daly to the ground. The match official had no hesitation in sprinting under the posts to signal the award of a penalty try, judging that neither of the defenders would have outraced Daly to the touchdown. Bradley took the simple conversion and added the extra 2 points.
The next series of attacks led to the enforced removal of Pharaoh for a blood injury after the plucky scrum half nearly caused a nasty injury to a Loughborough players hand with his head, only the fact that the brave visitor had clenched his fist saved him from a nasty break. The dazed Pharaoh had 10 minutes to get himself sorted, and allowed Saunders to come on as a temporary replacement.
This slight reshuffle gave Loughborough the chance to strike back, and from a good scrum, they fed the ball out wide, and the number 13 was able to sneak in at the corner. The fly half was unable to add the conversion, but this score was to be the start of a concerted fight back from the visitors.
Grimsby also made another substitution, with Kempthorne coming off to be replaced by Martin. The old warhorse had done his share, but the hot weather was taking it's toll.
Loughborough continued to press, but good work, notably by Davies, Lowery in the loose, and Robson in the tight kept them at bay. Pharaoh was able to rejoin the fray, and Saunders returned to the bench momentarily, before replacing Daly at full back.
With the game drawing to a close, the final score had to come from the home side, and as a strong maul approached the Loughborough line, it could have been taken by a myriad of players, although it was to be Marc Burke broke clear to score a nice try on his 1 st team debut. The conversion was missed, but the game was over and Grimsby had started their league campaign with a bang!!!