Papa John’s Cup First Round Saturday April 13
League games between the two clubs were very tight affairs, with Pavs taking a close win at Cromford Meadow and Matlock doing the same at Burntstump. To those used to the grim and muddy conditions of a Wintery Matlock, the warm and mostly sunny weather came as a welcome surprise. The underfoot conditions, looked somewhat dodgy and not conducive to running rugby, but the quality of the game that played out belied this.Â
Pavs made a bright start to the game, keeping the ball through several phases. Eventually, fleet footed Will Taylor motored through the Matlock defence to touch down and give Pavs a 7-0 lead with the Billam extras on ten minutes. Prop Theo Collier received an abrasion and departed for treatment to be replaced by Conner Tomlinson. Matlock then found their feet in the game and levelled matters at 7-7 with sixteen minutes on the clock. The patched up Collier returned at the same time.
More was to come from Matlock as they gained in confidence and Pavs seemed to switch off. They scored three tries in the next ten minutes, two of which were interceptions to put them almost out of sight, interspersed by a try by the promising young flanker Bailey Mayo.
Half time score 31-12 Matlock.
During the break Craig Ward made his debut in replacing the injured Harry Pritchard.
Matters did not improve for Pavs at the beginning of the second half when the unfortunate Mayo took a team yellow and Matlock extended their lead to 34-12 with a penalty.
Fly half George Billam found a way through to score and convert his own try to bring the score to 34-19 on fifty six minutes.
Pavs could not keep the momentum going, however , and Matlock went further ahead on sixty minutes at 41-19.
At this point, Mayo returned and Jonty Green replaced Ben Taylor at scrum half as Pavs sought to change things up, as the phrase goes.
The final twenty minutes saw Pavs regain their vim and vigour and nearly snatch victory as the clock ran out.
On sixty five minutes Kieran Wells completed a powerful drive and in so doing boosted Pavs somewhat erratic confidence. Billam added the extras to bring the score to 41-26. Danny Green entered the fray for the injured Morgan Jones minutes later.
On sixty nine minutes the mercurial Green took a quick tap penalty before executing a truly fabulous cross field kick to wing Alex Rimmington to catch and touch down with the Matlock defence looking somewhat bemused. So Pavs back in touch at 41-31 with ten minutes left to play.
Young debutee Oliver Park replaced Alex Barton on the wing as the game moved into the final five minutes. Pavs kept pressing and Will Taylor went in for his second try and with the Billam extras brought them back on terms at 41-38. Unfortunately, for Pavs this was to be the last play, so the burgeoning sense of hope that they felt was cruelly dashed.
For the spectator, this was a captivating game where fortune and form swung wildly. Pavs on top at the start, Matlock took the plaudits for a strong middle phase, while Pavs snatched the momentum back in the last twenty.
Pavs will rue the number of errors they made in open play, but will be relatively pleased by the overall style. The 2023/24 season now comes to an end. Lots to be pleased and proud of, yet a good deal to still work on. The squad will now have a period of rest and recuperation to refresh the bodies and most importantly the minds before they return to pre season training in the first week of July. Onwards……..!!!
Starting XV: Kieran Wells (1 try) +, Owen Taylor +, Theo Collier (VC), Harry Pritchard +, Alistair Plant +, Josh Flanagan +, Bailey Mayo (1 try) +, Phil Eggleshaw +, Ben Taylor, George Billam (1 try, 4 conv) +, Alex Rimmington (1 try), Doug Billam (C) +, Morgan Jones, Alex Barton +, Will Taylor (2 tries) +
Impacts: Craig Ward (46 mins), Jonty Green (60 mins) +, Oliver Park (74 mins) +, Conner Tomlinson (15-20 mins) +, Danny Green (65 mins) +, + Former Pavs Junior
+ – Former Pavs Juniors
Paviors Rugby Club play at Burntstump Hill, Arnold, NG5 8PQ and the club runs over twenty teams.
New players are always welcome – girls, boys, men & women, there is a team for all.
Further information about the club including contact details can be found on http://www.paviorsrfc.co.uk/ .
