The Blues Delight the Fans With a Home Win

Jon Harris earned his award of Man-of-the-Match with distinction in a back row which provided the vital ingredient for this narrow win against Hull Ionians at Hartsfield on Saturday. Jon Sewell, Wayne Clayton and Jon Harris defended the fringes, harried, covered and tackled ferociously as well as winning loose balls and adding punch to the attacks. Indeed, it was a break by Jon Harris which lead to the best try of the match as Jon Sewell finally rounded the cover to cross the line near the posts.

The front five were outmuscled by the big Hull Ionian pack, but any pack coached in the darker arts of forward play by the wiley Derek Eves is always going to cause problems. They did work effectively in the loose and it was the tall figure of Steve Fox which crashed over the line after only 3 minutes which opened the scoring. With forwards and backs defending well the opposition attack was so blunted that scoring chances were limited but although goal kicker Mark Jasnikowski had a miserable afternoon (five failures from five attempts at goal), the penalty kicks to touch deep into the Blues half enabled the visiting forwards to set up the platform from which they scored all three of their tries. Penalties mostly awarded for breaches of the laws pertaining to the tackle area. Coaches please note.

New Brighton kicked off into a light breeze and though Steve Dean's first attempted penalty goal hit the upright after only a minute, the attacking position was held until they took the lead with Steve Fox's try. From the restart the Blues saw minimal possession for some time and only a dogged defence kept the line intact. A comparatively simple penalty goal attempt failed before the maul was formed which gave Hull Ionians their first try, credited to Derek Eves, to bring the scores equal.

Steve Dean kept his nerve and split the post for a penalty goal on 18 minutes but Hull Ionians, after a series of penalties set themselves up for another lineout catch and drive to put Andrew Fish over and take a 10 point to 8 lead. With exchanges about even Jon Harris got his nose through the gap and the ball, via a number of pairs of hands, was finally over the line courtesy of Jon Sewell to give the Blues a 5 point lead at half time.

Half time Score: New Brighton 15 - 10 Hull Ionians

New Brighton went further ahead with a Steve Dean penalty on 53 minutes. Jon Sewell saved a certain try with a great tackle on Greg Bone but again a penalty kick to touch allowed Hull Ionians to set up a maul which put Derek Eves over for his second try. The conversion failed and as the final whistle blew New Brighton were weathering the last desperate onslaught from Hull Inonians to save the game.

Full time Score: New Brighton 18 - 15 Hull Ionians

NEXT HOME GAME: POWERGEN NATIONAL TROPHY
- DARLINGTON -
"HARTSFIELD" 1st OCTOBER 2005. K.O.3.00 p.m.