Amateur RU: Huddersfield defence provides winning platform

Oct 5 2009 by David Lockwood, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

Rugby union: Huddersfield defence provides winning platform

Nevertheless, the ensuing penalty went Huddersfield’s way and Johnson struck a great three-pointer into the wind to drag his side to within two points, 10-8, at the interval.

Johnson pushed an early second half penalty just wide, but with the wind now at the their backs Huddersfield began to take charge, and after steadily building up the pressure, No8 Nick Sharpe put up from the base of a scrum and side-stepped one player, barged over another defender and plunged over the line for a good opportunists score.

Johnson converted to put Field 15-10 ahead, and from that point they rarely looked back.

Fylde were down to 14 again when prop Matt Filipo was sin-binned for repeated interference, and although Johnson surprisingly was off target with the penalty Huddersfield were now firmly in command.

Another booming touch-finder from Johnson took play from inside his own 22 to just outside Fylde’s 22, and when the visitors tried to kick their way out of defence, it was Johnson who collected the ball, spun away from a couple of tackles and off-loaded to skipper Mark Whitehead who sped through the gap and raced 25 yards to go under the sticks, leaving Johnson the easiest of conversions.

Director of rugby Mark Sowerby rang the changes in the last few minutes bringing on fresh legs, in the shape of Francis Entressengle and George Hinchliffe for James Davies and Gareth Lewis, along with Jack McPhail and Adam Sutcliffe for Sam Slater and Matt Clarke, having earlier replaced Clayton with his young understudy Joel Hinchliffe.

Fylde were really at sixes and sevens in the dying stages, but granted a lengthy period of stoppage time they were gifted a bonus point, when virtually the whole team piled in at one last rolling maul and Irving got the consolation score – which was probably more than the deserved.

It was a good win for Huddersfield nevertheless and keeps them well in contention in third place in the table just behind Macclesfield and Caldy.

Huddersfield: Van Vuuren; Ryder, Paxman (B), Paxman (L), Clark (Sutcliffe 70); Johnson, Clayton (Hinchliffe 61); Slater (McPhail 70), Davies (Entressengle 70), Stringwell, Harris, Rhodes, Lewis (Hinchliff 70), Whitehead, Sharpe.

Fylde: Wallwork, Ward, Waywell, Hurst, Brennan, Barlow, Aikman, Irving, Roddam, Filip, Atkinson, King, Smith, Trend, Banks. Subs: Macreavey, Stover, Ferguson, Smith Moore.

Referee: Andrew Vertigan (Wetherby).