Gateshead Thunder VS Hemel Stags
Gateshead 32 - Hemel Stags 18
October 31st. 2009 (National under 18’s league).
Gateshead Storm: Hemel Stags
Match commentary:
4:12 Halftime score.
12:12 with only 20 minutes remaining.
32:18 full time Result.
Hemel Stags team details:
Stephen Marshall, Kieran Dixon, Aaron Small, Mustafa Ali, Courtney Watson, Cameron Furlong, Jack Kavanagh, George Gower, Miles McLeod, Tom Grange, Warren Grange, Callum Hurley, Erik Grimley.
Preparation for this match went well, with an excellent training session on the preceding Thursday evening, with plenty of players attending.
However, the actual and available squad of players who were prepared to undertake the mammoth coach trip to and from Gateshead in the far north East of England, was very disappointing at only13. This situation meant that no substitutes were available in order to accommodate for match injuries and allow for player rotation throughout the match.
The match started very well for Hemel Stags who opened the scoring with a converted try by Courtney Watson within the first 5 minutes. Gateshead Storm responded 5 minutes later with an unconverted try. The Stags continued to press forward at every opportunity and Miles McLeod achieved a second converted try for the away team.
The flow of the match was critically interrupted when Stags had a player yellowed carded in the 17th minute and they were reduced to 12 men for 10 crucial minutes. The very closely contested first half was concluded with no further scores by either side, with the Stags having secured a worthy half time lead. Unfortunately Stags had needed to work extra hard for this milestone semi-result (Stags have never before lead an opposition team at halfway during this very tough national league competition). Stags had both endured 10 playing minutes with only 12 players and also having suffered injuries to 2 further players who remained on the field as “walking wounded.”
The second half saw very good and well-organised pressure from Gateshead that allowed them to draw level despite some very determined defence by the whole Stags team, with only 20 minutes left in the match.
The final quarter of the match saw Gateshead continually power into the centre of the pitch and so force the Stags wings inward to provide additional defence in that area. The result of this effective tactic was to create a clear overlap on the outside that Gateshead clinically exploited on three separate occasions, scoring three times in the process.
Despite a short period during which the very young Stags team lost both their confidence and their composure, the team showed true spirit and were never outclassed, indeed they scored another converted try when Kieron Dixon re-gathered his own kick forward and successfully converted his own try.
The final match score of 32:18 flattered to deceive, as although the Gateshead side were the clear victors on the day, the actual contest was very closely contested throughout the match and the Stags can take great heart from this overall performance.
The end of this match was marred by the ugly spectacle of a mass fight that saw actions by both sides that should not be applauded or endorsed by either club. This situation was particularly disappointing, as up until this point the match had seen many very excellent advertisements for the sport of Rugby League.
Hemel Man of the Match: Miles McLeod