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1st XV Match Report: Holt versus Stowmarket

1st XV Match Report: Holt versus Stowmarket

Claire Robson2 Feb - 21:12

What a win, well done team!

Thank you to Martyn Jackson for this match report.

With only five games of the league season left Holt approached Saturday with high hopes of getting their second win of what has been, a difficult season. Their only other win so far this season has been against Stowmarket, Saturday’s visitors to Bridge Road. A win for Stowmarket would throw them a lifeline and put them level on points with Holt. A win for Holt would effectively put clear water between them and Stowmarket. With only one team being relegated, (as far as we know) this season thanks to the withdrawal of Dagenham from the league any points will be priceless, for both sides.

Stowmarket kicked off, Grant McConnell, starting at fly half, returned the ball back into Stowmarket territory, who tried to run the ball but McConnell following up his own kick destroyed the ball carrier where the ball went loose. Tom Thrower, also following up well pounced on the loose ball and outsprinted the Stowmarket defence to score. Jackson missed the conversion from out wide.

2 mins: Holt 5 Stowmarket 0

Holt drove forward from the restart but knocked on at the Stowmarket 22. They cleared their lines up 35m out where Will Allen, took a quick lineout to Jackson who burst through the Stowmarket defence before offloading to Gosden who went over for Holt’s second try. The conversion kick from out wide was missed.

6mins: Holt 10 Stowmarket 0

McConnell returned the ball back into the Stowmarket half from the kick-off. A Stowmarket penalty was kicked back to the Holt 10m line. Another penalty saw them in Holt’s 22. A knock on gifted Holt a scrum 20m out. Holt ran the ball getting stopped on the Stowmarket 22. Stowmarket tried to break out but were stopped and the ball was turned over, Medler chipped through the Stowmarket defence, Gosden won the chase and touched down for Holt’s third and his second try. Pete Medler nailed the conversion.

17 mins: Holt 17 Stowmarket 0

Jackson fielded the kick-off, broke out and offloaded to Thrower who left the Stowmarket defence for dead to score his second try and Holt’s fourth, bonus point try! The conversion from out wide was missed.

18 mins: Holt 22 Stowmarket 0

Pete Medler kicked a Holt penalty on the Holt 10m line up to about 30m out from the Stowmarket line. Holt knocked on, from the scrum and Stowmarket were awarded a penalty. Stowmarket kicked to the Holt 10m line, Holt won the line out and ran the ball through the hands, Jackson set his centre partner Tom Goose free and Goose won the race to the line to score out wide. The conversion missed.

24 mins: Holt 27 Stowmarket 0

A penalty saw Stowmarket kick deep into the Holt 22. A good catch and drive brought Stowmarket their first score. The conversion missed.

29 mins: Holt 27 Stowmarket 5

Holt decided to have 10 minutes off at this point, and the game became very fragmented and littered with errors from both sides. However, with time getting on for 45 mins, a Stowmarket scrum enabled them to chip the Holt defence around the half way line where Gill, having an impressive game at full back, spotted the chip and took it at full pace, broke through the Stowmarket defence before offloading. The ball went through several pairs of hands before finding its way to Thrower who went over for his hat trick. Medler nailed the conversion.

45 mins: Holt 34 Stowmarket 5

Half Time

Holt kicked off where a good chase was rewarded with a scrum some 35m out. The ball was spun wide, McConnel looped Jackson who offload for McConnell to scythe through the Stowmarket defence and score, Medler got the conversion.

2 mins: Holt 41 Stowmarket 5

Again Holt surged forward from the Kick-off with Tom Goose making great yards up to the Stowmarket 22, a penalty saw Stowmarket clear their lines back up to the Holt 22, McConnell cleared Holts lines in return and got a great 50/22, from the line. This time Holt fed the ball wide to Will Allen on the wing who went over a try in the corner. The conversion missed.

7 mins: Holt 46 Stowmarket 5

Charlie Gill was replaced with Mel Gilmour. Holt went forward again from the Kick-off but gave away a succession of penalties which enabled Stowmarket to kick their way deep into the Holt 22, and gave Charlie Mason a 10 minute rest after receiving a yellow card. A catch and drive powered Stowmarket over for their second try. The conversion was good.

10 mins: Holt 46 Stowmarket 12

Guy Savoury replaced Gosden. From the kick-off the ball was fed quickly across the pitch finding Jackson who sprinted in from 40m. The conversion missed.

11 mins: Holt 51 Stowmarket 12

Holt once more became a little slaphappy making unforced errors and enabling Stowmarket to get back into the game. Tom Goose received a yellow card and Buckingham replaced Charlie Howard, meanwhile Stowmarket had kicked a penalty once more into the Holt 22. A catch and drive bought about their third try. The conversion missed.

24 mins: Holt 51 Stowmarket 17

In trying to break out from his own 22 Jackson received a smash in the face, he left the field Gosden returning. From a line out on the Stowmarket 10m they kicked ahead. The ball was recovered by Allen who broke forward, linked up with Gill and McConnell before the final pass saw Thrower as the last man, he galloped over for his fourth, and Holts tenth try of the day. The conversion missed.

30 mins: Holt 56 Stowmarket 17

A Stowmarket penalty was kicked into the corner, another catch and drive did the rest to bring up Stowmarket fourth and bonus point try. The conversion missed.

35 mins: Holt 56 Stowmarket 22

The kick-off went straight into touch. From the scrum on half way Stowmarket kicked ahead when Harry Yarboo seized the ball from the line out and charged downfield eventually getting stopped on the Stowmarket 22. A massive hack downfield from Stowmarket sparked a mad chase down the pitch, eventually won by Stowmarket which earned them their fifth. The conversion was good.

37 mins: Holt 56 Stowmarket 29

Full time: Holt 56 Stowmarket 29

Tries....Tom Thrower 4 James Gosden 2, Tom Goose, Grant McConnell, Will Allen and Tom Jackson

Conversions….Pete Medler 2

Congratulations to our Moongazer man of the match Charlie Howard sponsored by Brown & Co. Massive display, hard tackling, hard running, huge input throughout. (and he didn't get a yellow card!)
DOTD Tom Thrower for being greedy!!

A great result, Holt played some very good rugby, took their chances well and defended brilliantly. Perfectly understandable why they took their eye off the ball towards the end of the first, and second halves. They've not had many times this season where they've been in the position to be able to relax their concentration! This was a game that could have gone horribly wrong, Stowmarket as Holt know from experience are no pushover, Holt will however have to up their game yet again in two weeks when the visit high flying Harlow. They then have two consecutive home games on March 1st and 8th versus Rochford Hundred and Brentwood respectively, before finishing their league season away to Woodford on March 22nd. Two mouthwatering engagements for the local support. Then the Norfolk cup will follow, first Norwich away on April 12th then the last home game of the season North Walsham on April 26th.

On March 1st the club will be running a special fund raising day for MND. The players will wear specially made shirts for the game versus Rochford which will be auctioned off after the match. So come prepared, cash and cards are both acceptable.

The seconds were away at Norwich Medics, they went down 43 points to 12. The 3rds were postponed.

No games at bridge Rd until March 1st, when all 3 teams are scheduled to play at home, see you then!

Further reading