Roesiders End Year With Emphatic Win Limavady 43 PSNI 9
Limavady ended the year with a seven try romp against the PSNI at the Hunter Memorial Grounds last Saturday to maintain their push for an immediate return to Qualifying 2. But it was the visitors who came out of the blocks first and had two attempts to take the lead, only for their scrum half to miss narrowly on both occasions. Slowly but surely the hosts came the game and eventually got their backs into the game. The Police had no answer to speed and power of the Limavady backs and full back Ben Wilson touched down for the first score of the day. His brother Peter kicked the conversion and thus ignited a period of glittering rugby from the hosts.
Try number two arrived when 2nd rows Marcus McCollum and Michael Rice combined for Robert Lamberton to score under the posts. The home crowd only had to five minutes for the next score with Peter Wilson releasing Ross Moore to race clear and touchdown in the corner. Peter Wilson kicked a conversion, but instead of kicking on Limavady’s play became sloppy and this resulted in a few scores being left behind. The visitors took advantage of this, and the PSNI scrum half kicked three excellent penalties. All of a sudden the hosts were in a game again when they should have been out of sight.
HT Limavady 19 PSNI 9
Head Coach Paul O’Kane certainly did not mince his words during the half time break and the players took in his instructions on board as in the first five minutes of the second half the game was put to bed.
Direct from the restart, Limavady got deep into the opposition half and prop forward John McCollum scored his second try of the season. His third of the season arrived just two minutes later after taking a pass from Jamie Miller and racing clear unopposed to score under the posts. Peter Wilson converted both scores for a 33-9 lead.
The second half saw a greater intensity from the hosts with a vast improvement in tackling, the lineout and also in the scrums. This visitors were starting to feel the affects of the raised intensity levels and found themselves losing two players through injury, with still over 20 mins left on the clock. With no substitutions allowed, it was left to the remaining 13 players to solider on.
With gaps appearing all over the field, Robert Lamberton and Ross Moore both crossed for their second tries of the day. Final score Limavady 43 PSNI 9.
So the promotion push continues and competition for places hots up. But the league action takes a break for a few weeks as next up is the Powerade Towns Cup. Section 1 team Portadown are the opposition at Chambers Park on January 3rd. A mammoth task for the North West Men, but one everyone at the club is looking forward too.
Saturday also saw the club field an under 14 team for the first time in many years. Despite going down to Finn Valley, the lads, for many their first ever game of rugby, put in a terrific display and battled gallantly to the final whistle.
Their next training session will be on Saturday 3rd January at 10.30am. Everyone welcome.
