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.

Early in the second half the visitors extended their lead when a speculative kick through took a shocking bounce in front of Huddersfield winger Adam Ryder, and flanker Dave Hughes took advantage to pick up and go over near the left corner for a try which Drake again failed to convert.

Gareth Lewis replaced Nick Sharpe on the 50-minute mark and Huddersfield began to enjoy their best spell of pressure.

Johnson, Hinchliffe and Sutcliffe combined well in a break which almost produced something before Field’s No10 landed his only place kick of the afternoon to put his side in with at least a chance of a bonus.

And as the home side continued to pile on the pressure there was a real sense they could snatch a draw with still over 10 minutes remaining of the match.

Tom Owen and Sutcliffe were next to make a mini break, while Johnson himself went close with a jinking run, but it was not to be.

And to rub salt into the wounds with just two minutes left, hooker Neil Sweeney crossed for the visitors’ third try which ended the hopes of even a bonus point.

Huddersfield: Owen; Ryder, Van Vuuren, Paxman (L) (Van Rooyen 63), Sutcliffe; Johnson, Hinchliffe; Slater, Davies (Doughty 12), Stringwell, Hinchliff, Harris, Sharpe (Lewis 50), Whitehead, Hyde.

Loughborough Students: Walsh; Smith, Lambden, Lewis, Cook, Drake, Pyrgos; Berry, Sweeney, Parilli, Wardon, Aston, Hughes, Cullen, Burgess. Subs: Steadman, Cobb, Taylor, Reeves.

Referee: Brendan Fitzmorris (Middlesbrough)