New Brighton

Football Club (R.U.)

December Match Reports Season 2000-2001

English National League Division 3 North

New Brighton 32  -  13 Dudley Kingswinford
Sat. 23/12/00
By Colin Bentley
Match played at Reeds Lane Stadium

Team Sheet :
Hamish Pearson, Paul Brett(Penalty Goals 1, Conversions2), Marcus Coast (1 try) Emrys Evans (1 Try), Steve Johnson , Adam Butt (Tom Mapp after 70 mins), Alan Hesketh, Phil Gazzola (Mark Dorrington after 70 mins), Karl Davies (Iain Taylor after 70 mins ) , Huw Thomas , Nick Allott, Paul Campbell, Jez Lamb, Steve Bellis , Geoff Jones (c) (1 Try).

Report:

Score 3 - 0

With apparent disregard for the DK pack, New Brighton forwards drove straight back onto the attack from the restart to launch their backs on a sweeping attack that saw Steve Johnson chip a delightful ball through the defence for the impressive Marcus Coast to ground on 4 mins.

Score 8 - 0

The scores fired up DK who hit back with a penalty from scrum half Shaun Perry followed by a dazzling solo effort from the No 9 who jinked and sprinted his way through the defence for a most impressive score. The extras were missed but at 8 - 8 the scene was set for for an absolute cracker as the festive crowd revelled in some outstanding rugby.

Score 8 - 8

Sensing the Midlanders revival, New Brighton raised their game another notch that was to prove too much for the League new boys to match. No 8 Steve Bellis made a wonderful break on 19 mins and combined with the Blues' new centre sensation, Emrys Evans. The two progressed play virtually 50 yards down the field with some spectacular interplay that saw Evans score a dramatic try to complete a dramatic move that delighted the crowd.

Score 13 - 8

From this point New Brighton took control with the visitors having no answer to the forward power of Campbell, Gazzola, Allott, Thomas and Co. Coach Connor believes that this years pack to be the most complete set of players he has coached in his time at Reeds lane and so it proved. Scrummage pressure drew a penalty try converted by Paul Brett to take the half time score to 20 - 8.

Half Time:              New Brighton 20 - 8 Dudley Kingswinford

Such was the Blues' forward domination that they drew another penalty try on 55 mins when the DK scrum collapsed, which Brett converted.

Score 27 - 8

Captain Geoff Jones predictably weighed in with a score late on and a to complete the scoring for New Brighton.

Score 32 - 8

Shaun Perry grabbed a consolation score for the visitors after another solo effort to complete the scoring.

Score 32 - 13

Score 59 - 0

Final Score:  New Brighton 32 - 13 Dudley Kingswinford

English National League Division 3 North

New Brighton 79  -  0 Morley
Sat. 9/12/00
By David Wilcox
Match played at Reeds Lane Stadium

Team Sheet :
Tom Mapp (Steve Johnson after 72 mins), Paul Brett( 1 Try, 4 Conversion, 2 Penalty Goals), Marcus Coast (1 try) Emrys Evans, Hamish Pearson (1 Try) , Adam Butt (1 Try), Alan Hesketh, Phil Gazzola , Karl Davies (Iain Taylor after 70 mins (1 Try) ), Huw Thomas (Steve Dorrington after 75 mins), Nick Allott, Steve Fox (2 Tries), Jez Lamb (1 Try), Steve Bellis (4 Try), Geoff Jones (c) (1 Try).

Report:

The game opened with the forwards driving incessantly at the visitors defence and they were rewarded after 3 mins with a penalty for offside. Paul Brett obliged.

Score 3 - 0

Time after time the Blues tested the visitors defence with surging runs with 19 stone Phil Gazzola causing mayhem. On the 10 minutes, after one devastating run, Morley again conceded a penalty for off side. Paul Brett was again successful.

Score 6 - 0

The visitors put together a period of sustained pressure as they managed to drive deep into the Blues' half and on 15 minutes, from one great move No 10 Jamie Grayshon narrowly missed with a Drop Goal attempt.

Straight from the drop out the Blues regained possession and again the forwards drove into the visitors half, Phil Gazzola linking with Steve Fox set up a driving maul, young Alan Hesketh at scrum half was everywhere. Just when the maul seemed to be losing pace, Geoff Jones peeled off, fed Adam Butt who passed for Marcus Coast to power through for the first touch down. Paul Brett converted with 17 minutes gone.

Score 13 - 0

The game ebbed and flowed for a while, the Blues continually probing the visitors defence with some terrific 3/4 moves. Morley's defence was sorely tested and it was only some superb tackling that kept the Blues from scoring. Wave after wave of attacks kept coming and on 28 minutes a brilliant switch move let Hamish Pearson in for a class try, which Paul Brett converted.

Score 20 - 0

It was the forwards turn now, with Steve Fox and Phil Gazzola again combining well to let the mobile Jez Lamb in for a score close to the post on 33 minutes, Brett converted.

Score 27 - 0

Five minutes later another powerful forward move wide out on the left, found Geoff Jones emerge from the bottom of a mass of bodies to claim the 4th try of the afternoon. The conversion was missed.

Score 32 - 0

As half time approached, the move of the match was about to unfold. As the crowed watch in awe, the Blues started a 15 man move that went through 22 pairs of hands before Emrys Evans was brought down just short of the line. From the scrummage which followed, the Blues drove over for Steve Bellis to touch down. Conversion missed.

Half Time:              New Brighton 37 - 0 Morley

Now playing into the wind, it was anticipated that the tempo would slow down somewhat. None of it, within three minutes of the restart a powerful break by skipper Geoff Jones found Steve Fox alongside, a quick pass and Foxie was away, touching down way out on the left. The conversion was missed.

Score 42 - 0

Three minutes later another scrum won on the visitors 22 and quick hands by young Alan Hesketh found Adam Butt bursting through an opening to break the tackle and touch down close to the posts. Paul Brett converted.

Score 49 - 0

After this double whammy, Morley gathered their wits, dug deep and started to put pressure back on the Blues. On 55 minutes No 14 Eddie Hutchinson got a wee bit enthusiastic, late tackled and was sin binned. With 15 men the visitors struggled, with 14 it was impossible, the flood gates opened. Straight from the penalty the Blues found touch near the visitors line, won the throw in and drove over for Steve Bellis to score. Conversion missed.

Score 54 - 0

Score 59 - 0

Five minutes later the Blues were at it again, from a scrum 5 metres out they drove the now tiring Morley pack back over the line for Bellis to claim his fourth try of the afternoon. Conversion missed.

Score 64 - 0

Score 69 - 0

Score 74 - 0

Final Score:  New Brighton 79 - 0 Morley

Another "D" day looming

Doncaster winning at home to Sedgley Park and Stourbridge game off again, means the Blues are still in pole position, with two games in hand on Doncaster, who visit Reeds lane on Feb 24th next year.

Dudley Kingswinford 11  -  24 New Brighton
Sat. 2/12/00
By David Wilcox
Match played at Dudley, Heathbrook

Team Sheet :
Hamish Pearson, Paul Brett(1 Conversion 4 Penalty Goals), Marcus Coast Emrys Evans , Steve Johnson , Adam Butt, Rhys Hughes, Phil Gazzola, Iain Taylor , Huw Thomas, Nick Allott, Paul Campbell, Jez Lamb, Steve Bellis (1 Try), Geoff Jones (c) (1 Try).

Report:

In the second half New Brighton were more enterprising and, having got the measure of the home team, threw the ball around with more confidence to earn themselves a well earned victory. In the bar afterwards the Blue's Supporters were happy that the team eventually found it's way.

The game opened with a flourish, both teams probing the others weakness. Playing with the wind, it wasn't long before the Blues took control in the forwards and drove down the field to extract an early penalty for offside which Paul Brett converted.

Score 0 - 3

Five minutes later the Blues forwards, now in total control with Jez Lamb and Paul Campbell outstanding, forced another forward infringement by the home team. From the penalty Paul Brett again added to the points.

Score 0 - 6

From a rare sortie into New Brighton territory Dudley drove the Blues forwards off the ball and a cleverly worked move saw their best player, scrum half Shaun Perry, outwit the visitors defence and make a glorious break down the blind side, only to be bundled into touch with a last gasp tackle by Hamish Pearson.

Visibly shaken, minutes later the Blues came storming back with a driving maul from some 30 metres out which crashed over the Dudley line for Steve Bellis to touch down. On this occasion Paul Brett missed the conversion.

Score 0 - 11

Dudley pulled back a score with a penalty from Steve Smart after 26 minutes.

Score 3 - 11

Shortly after, a mix up in the Blue's defence gave away another penalty and Smart goaled that as well.

Score 6 - 11

This encouraged the home team and their tackling was now ferocious. From a late, high tackle on Hamish Pearson, which the referee missed, a 15 a side brawl ensued, when the referee eventually regained control the Blues were awarded another penalty which Brett again converted.

Half Time:              Dudley Kingswinford 6 - 14 New Brighton

The Blues started the second half in more enterprising mood and the backs with more of the ball produced several good passing moves. Emrys Evans, Marcus Coast and Paul Brett all going close. On 52 minutes, after one scintillating move was brought down short of the line, skipper Geoff Jones drove over to score followed by a Brett conversion.

Score 6 - 21

The home team were now playing catch up rugby running the ball from deep in their own half risking everything. One superb move was halted, on 61 minutes, by a desperate lunge from Steve Johnson which was adjudged by the referee to have been illegal and he was sin-binned.

Dudley took a short penalty driving the Blues back and forcing them to concede penalty after penalty, three points was not enough and sure enough they were rewarded when winger Mark Linsay found himself unmarked and ran in a fine try. The conversion was missed.

11 - 21

The Blues dug deep for the next 8 minutes producing a fantastic rearguard action to deny the home team another score. With Steve Johnson warming up to re-join the fray an offside by Dudley earned another penalty which Paul Brett converted.

Score 11 - 24

Final Score:  Dudley Kingswinford 11 - 24 New Brighton

With Doncaster losing at Nuneaton and Stourbridge's game against Walsall postponed, New brighton move into second place in the league, 2 points behind Doncaster but with 2 games in hand. Doncaster are due to visit Reeds Lane on February 24th.

Next week Yorkshire rivals Morley visit Reeds Lane and the following week the Blues travel to Nuneaton. On Saturday 23rd December there is the return fixture with Dudley and if the Blues stay focused, what a run up to Christmas.