Spartans 2's 50 v Woodrush 10

The January blues were well and truly gone for Spartans 2nd XV as they made it six wins on the bounce against a spirited Woodrush side.

With the First Team and third team in league action is was back to a bare fifteen for the Twos who hosted Woodrush in a home friendly. Ryan Devine kept his place at loosehead prop, accompanied in the front row by Harry Owen at hooker and the returning John Lewis at tighthead. The engine room included the familiar partnership of Dan Wayne and Tim 'Tango' Barthram supported by an exciting back row of Spencer Kite, Will Sanders and Matthiau Gassey. The back line started with Captain Andy Harrison and Joe Madden with Luke Spears and the returning Chris Vaughan in the midfield backed up by a pacey back three of Joe Lucas, Lewis Miller and Brett Garbett.

Things started well for the Twos, a dropped ball from the restart resulted in a first minute scrum and opportunity for this Spartans pack to put an early stamp on the game as they have done all season, and they did not disappoint. A solid driving scrum gave the backs chance to test the opposition defence with a slick wide move, Brett Garbett eventually beating his man on the outside only to be brought down by a last ditch tackle. The defender did not roll away and the referee was quick to award the first penalty to the men in black. An eager touch finding kick gave the pack chance to catch and set a maul which worked with great effect, driving the ball on to 5m out before Ryan Devine peeled from the back and looked destined to power over, only the desperate defence of the visiting side held him short.

It wasn't long though before the Spartans men were on the score sheet, continued pressure and powerful ball carrying from the likes of Kite and Wayne led to a break from Harrison, he drew the covering defender and found Gassey on a sublime line who has been in devastating form in recent weeks, there was no stopping him as he powered over for the first score of the game. Madden converted from out wide to make it 7-0 to the men in black.

Spartans were enjoying the lions share of possession and some slick ball handling and piercing lines from forwards and backs alike led to them once again being camped in the Woodrush 22. This time it was quick thinking of Andy Harrison that saw him burst over the line from a tap penalty for a textbook scrum half try in the corner. 12-0 ten minutes gone.

The Spartans pack were dominating in both the tight and the loose and the game plan was to revolve around these strengths. A penalty driven into the corner saw another powerful rolling maul, this time it was that man Gassey who peeled from the back to burst through the line, stepping the full back and running in under the posts for a third score, again converted by Madden. 19-0.

The next score for Spartans would have claimed try of the game in most fixtures, the high restart was claimed by Tango who, despite the onrushing defence, stayed strong to reset the ball. With Madden and Harrison marshalling their pack with great effect, the loose forwards were carrying with great intent and this time it was Will Sanders who burst through on the half way line. His barnstorming run saw him draw the defender and pop to his back row partner Kite who in turn found Garbett. The full back perfectly executed the draw and pass to find Lewis Miller who sprinted in from 20m for a superb team try, 26-0 and things were looking tough for the visiting side.

The next two tried were finished in similar fashion and started by devastating carries from the Spartans pack, the first came from a huge carry from the restart by Devine, he again found the supporting back row who bludgeoned their way upfield before Madden saw space in the far right corner, a neat kick through was hacked on by Vaughan who showed great pace to beat the tracking winger and touch down for an opportunistic try to take the score to 33-0.

The second of this brace came again from dominating carries, the forwards were being steered round the park beautifully by scrum half Harrison; Gassey, Owen, Wayne and Kite were having a field day in the loose. What looked to be a beautiful piece of open rugby resulted in a dropped ball, it had gone backwards though and Spears was first to react with a fly kick. His own chase was good and he looked to have touched down only to be beaten by the bounce, fortunately Garbett was in support to pounce on the loose ball for Spartans 6th try of the game. Half time 38-0.

At half time the message was clear, maintain discipline, be ruthless, put the game to bed. As most teams do on the Coppice Lane pitch, Woodrush found some momentum with the slope and their sleeping giant of a second row was suddenly all over the park, testing the home defence with every momentous carry. For the first ten minutes of the second half Spartans were on the back foot for sure and had clearly switched off to allow the visitors back into the game. The defensive effort was stout but too many missed tackles saw the pacey full back dive over in the wide channel for a deserved score.

This seemed to kick Spartans back into life as Tango leapt like a shimmering salmon to tap back the restart, his pack were on hand to clean up and suddenly the Twos were on the attack again. Solid platform gave good ball for Madden who hit Chris Vaughan with a lovely set move. He beat the first tackle and reset the ball for the pack to rumble on again before Harrison spotted Spears in space on the blind side and there was no stopping him as he dived over for his fifteenth try of the season.

Any thoughts that Woodrush would give up the ghost after conceding their seventh try were swiftly forgotten as they suddenly found some go forward, the full back, number 8 and giant second row in particular were carrying with a new found intensity and the home side defence were shocked, leaking penalties and gifting field position to the visitors. A penalty in the home 22 was nudged into the corner and a well executed maul saw the heavyweight Woodrush pack force their way over for a second score. With 25 minutes gone Woodrush led the half 10-5 and were testing the Spartans defence every time they had possession.

Fortunately a moment of wizard like magic stemmed the flow and gave the impetus back to Spartans. Once again the set piece was solid and a line out in midfield saw another well executed back play, Spears found Joe Lucas on beautiful line and he cut the defence in half. He was supported by Sanders who was having a storming game in the loose, he in turn found Kite who drove deep into Woodrush territory. Harrison was guiding his forwards round the corner and it was tight head prop John 'O'Driscoll' Lewis who took the pass and hit a sublime line to beat the first defender. In most instances you could accept a prop forward getting his head down and going in one direction but Lewis, with the speed and grace of a thousand gazelles, dummies one, stepped left, stepped right, dummies another and found himself sprinting in under the posts for a try that POG himself would be proud of, a moment of sheer genius from the prop for his first try of the season.

With the score at 50-10 Woodrush continued totally pressure and could have scored another could only for some gritty and determined defence, Sanders led the way in that department with a thundering hit on the Woodrush 8. The half played out without further score and although there were moments of brilliance, Spartans will have been slightly disappointed with the second 40 although credit must go to Woodrush who were a much improved opposition in the second half.

The score finished at 50-10 and for 50 minutes of the game Spartans Twos were playing some of the rugby that has seen them fighting at the top of Warwickshire Div 2. In a game that was dominated by the pack it could well have been any of the 8 that took the MOTM award however it was Will Sanders who stood out most and deservedly wins the POG cup this week.

Tries;
Gassey x 2
Harrison
Miller
Vaughan
Garbett
Spears
Lewis

Cons;
Madden x 5

Next week the Twos return to league action away at Pinley, a match that will surely be eventful after the previous fixture and Spartans will be desperate to make a statement on the scoreboard and keep this winning run going.