Grimsby 1st XV travelled to the idyllic Sherwood Forest Paviors location
with their tails up for this away fixture with the league leaders. Having
been the only side to beat Paviors this season and on the back of the
convincing win at Lincoln last week, Grimsby were expecting another good
performance. Work commitments and Christmas arrangements had hampered the
selection process with four key pack players unavailable. The game
started well for Grimsby with some good phases of dogged 10 man rugby.
Paviors persistently infringed at the ruck and were rewarded with a 10
minute spell in the bin for one of their backs following a yellow card. A
series of driving mauls, good line-out work and pressure on the home
side's back line saw the first twenty minutes very much with Grimsby in
control. This passage of play culminated in a well worked try from a
driving maul with captain Edwards touching down for the score. The home
side support was somewhat lost for words to see such control from the
visitors. The conversion attempt by West was unsuccessful. The game soon
settled into what was for the most part the pattern for the afternoon.
With wet conditions spoiling just about everything past the 10, Grimsby's
efforts to play a wide expansive game seemed fruitless. An infringement
in the Grimsby 22 allowed Paviors the chance to get on the board, 5-3 to
Grimsby as half time approached. The second half seemed an altogether
different half with a much more determined home side effort. Grimsby
spent much of the half defending in their 22 with some strong scrummaging
and tight driving work by the home side forwards. Grimsby stood strong in
defence and tackled well keeping the home side at bay until a well worked
overlap saw their first try scored just wide of the posts. The conversion
was successful making it 8-8. The score seemed to refocus Paviors who
soon worked their way back into the Grimsby half and were soon awarded a
penalty following some indiscipline at the base of the ruck. This was
duly taken giving the home side the lead for the first time. With only 10
minutes to go this score was very much the turning point in the game.
Grimsby's discipline took a turn for the worse as the frustration of the
situation set in. Paviors pressure on the Grimsby line continued with
vengeance and it wasn't long before the next try came. 18-8 and the game
was slipping away fast. The final nail in the coffin came in the last
minute when another well worked overlap allowed the Paviors winger to
score in the corner. The kick was unsuccessful giving Paviors a 23-8 win
as the final whistle blew. Grimsby were beaten by the better side on the
day, however, the first 70 minutes showed the true grit and determination
that has become so synonymous with the style that Grimsby are playing at
the moment.