Match Reports 2001-2002 Season
1st September, 2001
Port Sunlight 2XV 5 - 35 Prenton 2XV
It was the usual case of the opening day blues for Port Sunlight seconds. With
summer holidays restricting selection options new captain Pete Jones was forced
to give debuts to several third team players and field several more in
unfamiliar positions.
Despite this Sunlight were unlucky to go down quite so heavily to a well
organised and vastly more experienced Prenton side. Prenton scored five tries,
including two which resulted from excellent passing moves, demonstrating to the
younger Sunlight lads the importance of good support play. Until this point
Sunlight had done well to reach half time only 8 - 0 down. Yet twice early in
the second half Prenton got the bounce of the ball, including a try almost from
the kick off which immediately had Sunlight rocking on their heels. A third
quickly followed and a penalty kicked from the Sunlight ten metre line
effectively finished the match as a contest.
Sunlight deservedly got on the score sheet midway through the second half when a
fine break down the left by fly-half Jones freed centre debutante Harrison to
streak in from thirty yards out.
Sadly this was the last moment to cheer as Prenton scored two more tries,
including one in the last minute to seal an emphatic victory. D'oh!
8th September, 2001
Port Sunlight 2XV 8 - 50 Hoylake 2XV
More early season blues at Green Lane as Sunlight seconds were crushed by a very
good Hoylake second team.
Inexperience, lack of fitness and four abysmal refereeing decisions combined to
hand Sunlight a salutary lesson in the art of running rugby.
The omens for Sunlight were poor almost from the kick off when Hoylake waltzed
through some very feeble tackling in the pack to score the first of their ten
tries. This was to prove the pattern for the rest of the afternoon. Hoylake's
margin of victory should have been much greater but they failed to convert a
single try.
Sunlight's only responses were a thirty five yard penalty from captain Pete
Jones and a five yard try from Chris Randles following a slick blind side move
orchestrated by Kerad Duncalfe.
15th September, 2001
Port Sunlight 1XV 12 - 15 Halton 1XV
Sunlight went down 12 points to 15 against Halton in a bad
tempered encounter that saw Chris MacGrath sent off midway
through the first half for retaliation. The 14 men of Sunlight
were unlucky to lose, a disputed, disallowed Andy Evans try
costing them victory. Karl Taylor and Adam Metcalfe did cross
for Sunlight, with Colin Leech landing one conversion.
15th September, 2001
Port Sunlight 2XV 39 - 19 Afon Dee
It was third time lucky and many happy returns to Simon Byrne as a
Port Sunlight side finally got a win this season.
Byrnie celebrated his 40th birthday in style running in two tries and galvanising
the Sunlight backs to score three more. The pack, not to be out done,
also scored twice. The fabled Ali Bongo kicking slippers made an
unwelcome return. Of seven tries scored by Sunlight only two where converted.
Sunlight scored first in an exciting game that saw ten tries in total scored.
A whirlwind start from the Sunlight forwards had Afon Dee on the back foot
from the opening whistle and it was no surprise when Simon Byrne burst through
to score. Tony Tharme missed the conversion.
Sunlight were then guilty of going to sleep and where duly punished on ten
minutes when Afon Dee, making good use of the strong wind, equalised. For
once Sunlight had a response and immediately from the restart the pack
won the ball, and fast hands along the three-quarter line freed winger
Dan Corfe to score down the left, Tharme again missing the conversion.
A few minutes later a similar move down the right saw Simon Byrne jink
through three men to score his second try of the game. Tony Tharme missed
a third conversion and was relieved of the kicking slippers!
Sunlight then came under increasing pressure from a well-drilled Afon Dee
pack and were pinned in their own 22 for long periods. The defence held
firm though and were duly rewarded when Paul Harrison, making his debut
at fullback, hacked the ball clear and Dan Corfe gathered a lucky bounce
to sprint the length of the pitch to score his second try under the posts.
During his long dash he was no doubt encouraged by the cries of his team mates
who urged him to "Run, Forrest, run!" Gary Marsden accepted the challenge of
converting and, sadly, put the ball wide.
Afon Dee made changes at half time and emerged stronger. They scored almost
straight from the kick off. However the Sunlight pack with Danny Bonner and the new
Pete McArdle (the one with the mute button) outstanding in the loose soon began to
once again win good ball for the backs.
Sunlight's fifth try occurred when the pack, driven on by Nicky Garratt and Pete
Metcalfe turned over an Afon Dee ball. Man-of-the-match Danny Bonner broke
through the middle and his deft inside ball saw Chris Randles storm over
from the twenty-two, executing a hand off that Rick Outram himself would
have been proud of. Randles then converted his own try.
Sunlight quickly followed this with another score. A cheeky one handed off-load
by Gary Marsden led to a move that saw Simon Byrne almost score his hat-trick
before being dragged down two yards out. From the resultant second phase the
eponymous "Salad Cream" scampered through to make the try count six to two in
Sunlight's favour. Sadly it was now Chris Randles turn to look like a tw@t
as he put the ball hopelessly wide.
Afon Dee forced a third try from concerted forward pressure in the Sunlight
twenty-two before Danny Bonner made another break. Desperate Afon Dee defence
kept him out but Salad Cream was on hand to pick up the loose ball and score
his second and Sunlights final try. Pete Metcalfe stepped forward to show how
to kick a conversion, making the final score 39 points to 19.
Port Sunlight 2XV 24pts - Moore 2XV 12pts
An overall good display by Sunlight produced a deserved win for the 2XV.
Chris Randles scored two impressive trys and was denied his hat trick.
