Amateur RU: Huddersfield 3 Loughbro' Students 15

Nov 16 2009 by David Lockwood, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

Improved show but no points

Hudds RU 3 Loughbro’ Students 15

FOR the second successive week, Huddersfield showed plenty of enthusiasm and endeavour but still came away empty-handed from their clash with League-leaders Loughborough Students.

It was certainly one of Huddersfield’s better performances and continued the improvement they showed the previous week when losing by two points at Harrogate.

Indeed, had the usually reliable Chris Johnson landed the three first-half penalty kicks, and had the bounce of the ball been a little kinder to the home side on a couple of occasions, then they could probably have snatched at least a draw.

But when things are going against you – which they currently are for coach Mark Sowerby’s side – those are the things which just don’t go your way!

Both fly-halves missed three-point opportunities in the opening 15 minutes, while Huddersfield also lost hooker James Davies to an injury, to be replaced by new signing Tom Doughty, who although acquitting himself well in the set-piece and loose, not surprisingly struggled with the calls in the line-outs.

Huddersfield carved out the first real chance of the game midway through the half when scrum half Joel Hinchliffe sped away from the scrum on an excellent break, before off-loading to the supporting Dan Hyde, but unfortunately the No8’s pass tor Adam Sutcliffe was just in front of him, and although the winger got a boot to it, the kick forward went over the dead ball line and the chance was gone.

Johnson missed his second penalty on 28 minutes, pushing his 45-yard attempt just wide before the visitors took the lead on the half hour, when outside centre Nathan Lambden found himself with a two-man overlap and went over unmarked.

George Drake missed the following conversion, but with Johnson missing another 45-yard attempt, the Students went in just 5-0 ahead at the break.