Rugby - Disrupted Mere go down to Park (From The Westmorland Gazette)

Rugby - Disrupted Mere go down to Park

1:22pm Saturday 7th February 2009

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Hawcoat Park 30.

Windermere 14.

WINDERMERE visited Hawcoat Park in cold, bleak conditions for this N. Lancs. Div. 2 fixture.

Hawcoat were buoyant after an excellent victory over high-flying Tarleton, but an advantage from the gusting wind and excellent kicking from full back James Crawford ensured Windermere held the territorial advantage for the opening half an hour.

Scott broke through the centre and went close to scoring, but it was left to second-row Griesley to open the account when he collected a pass from Sansom, who had dummied his way clear, for a try which James Crawford converted.

However, from the restart Windermere failed to collect the ball cleanly and were forced into touch ten metres short of their tryline.

Hawcoat secured the ball and a series of drivesresulted in Morrow forcing his way over for an unconverted try. Unfortunately, Windermere suffered a setback when the two Nield brothers, Matt and Dan, had to leave the pitch through injury which meant shuffling the threequarters, with Mike Crawford moving to scrum-half. Nevertheless, 'Mere hung on to turn round 7-5 to the good.

After the break, Hawcoat made full use of the wind advantage and pressurised the Windermere defence into yielding a penalty which stand-off, Winfield, converted.

The reorganised, disrupted defence needed to tackle well, but Hawcoat were on top and Windermere's problems were heightened when second-row Brown, was sinbinned for allegedly killing the ball.

During this period Hawcoat scored twice. The first came when Steele forced his way over from the base of a ruck and the second when Gallagher charged down an attempted clearance. Both conversions were missed.

Hawcoat's second-row White scored their fourth try, again from the base of a ruck, following a series of tap-penalties.This time, Winfield managed the conversion.

With ten minutes to go Hawcoat scored the best try of the match when they secured a scrum against the head to allow Clark to break inside and run half the length of the pitch for an unconvertedscore.

Windermere produced their best display of the half, which forced Hawcoat into conceding a penalty. Blenkharn took a quick kick to make inroads into the Hawcoat defence before feeding Brown, who barged over for a try which James Crawford converted.

It was a very difficult game for Windermere, who suffered only their second defeat of the season, but on the day the better side won.

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