HOLYWOOD GIVE STUDENTS A LESSON
The weatherman had predicted that Saturday would be a cold, wet and all-round miserable day. He obviously hadn’t thought about what would be going on at Kerr Park, where Holywood 1st XV entertained University of Ulster Coleraine in a league match. Both sides served up a game that warmed the souls of those watching and lit up what was undoubtedly the darkest and wettest day of the season so far. It was to be an uncompromising battle, primarily played up front, with the elements having a major role to play.
UUC kicked off with the rain and wind at their backs and immediately went on the attack, using the elements to continually pin Holywood in and around their 22 metre line. It was a theme to be repeated time and time again throughout the first half. Holywood’s defences were to be tested to virtual breaking point time and time again so discipline needed to be of the highest calibre to ensure the penalty count was kept to an absolute minimum.
Things didn’t look good after only 3 minutes when a very kickable penalty was awarded to UUC but thankfully for Holywood the attempt was wide of the mark. It was a wake up call though for Holywood’s defence who the succeeded in keeping the students just outside the 22. Kicking to clear the line was always going to be extremely difficult, so the only way out of defence was to run the ball. That wasn’t particularly easy either, considering the driving wind and rain. Nevertheless, after 8 minutes a good catch and straight run by Greg Brown from his own 22 to deep inside UUC territory was the signal for what had to be done to keep the Holywood line secure and give the defence a break. That run led to a 5 minute spell where Holywood pressed UUC utilising a series of penalties to run the ball across the backs showing admirable adventure on such a shocking day.
Holywood always knew though that one error and UUC would kick the ball downfield and up would have to go the defences again. So it was after 15 minutes, when a succession of rucks by the well-drilled UUC pack eventually resulted in a Holywood player being over-anxious to get the ball and being caught offside. A simple penalty conversion in front of the posts gave the visitors a 0-3 lead.
Wave after wave of UUC attacks were repelled by Holywood, even managing to hold the visitors up behind the line, turn the ball over and clear to their own 22. By now the students, who to date had not lost a league match, realised that Holywood were not going to be pushed aside lightly. After 25 minutes a UUC attempt at a drop goal sailed wide which showed concern that for all their territorial superiority, a 3 point lead was not going to be enough to face the elements in the second half.
On the half hour incredibly the rain got even heavier but it did nothing to dampen Holywood’s enthusiasm for the tackle with the pack tackling anything that moved towards them and the backs fielding high kicks cleanly and running back at UUC. On 33 minutes Holywood were caught offside at the lineout, but thankfully the UUC kicker was not having a good day and he missed the conversion attempt. Two minutes later and another kickable penalty was awarded to UUC. This time they elected to put the ball into touch at the corner. What UUC hadn’t reckoned on however was that Holywood would turn the ball over and clear their lines. Half-time was approaching when Ivan DePledge showed his impetuous streak and got himself binned by the ref for 10 minutes. Thankfully the subsequent penalty into the corner went dead and Holywood were let off. Holywood’s seven remaining forwards had to do the work of eight but knuckled down well to the task.
The second half was a repeat of the first, only this time UUC had to defend attack after attack from Holywood. Kicking to clear lines was practically a non starter. Now the students knew for sure that a 3 point lead was never going to be enough. Eleven minutes into the second half saw Holywood winning a scrum close to the UUC line and a simple inside pass saw blindside winger Greg Brown sprint through the UUC defence to touch down under the posts. Stevie Leyland added the conversion and Holywood were leading 7-3.
The score put extra impetus in UUC who now went on the attack, spending the next ten minutes camped inside Holywood’s half. However, a simple turnover ball on Holywood’s 22 was kicked to the open side downfield by Leyland giving Neil Ferguson and Stevie Glover a chance to show some deft running and passing skills. That run had obviously given Ferguson a taste for it. On 25 minutes a poor clearance kick by UUC was caught by Ferguson at the halfway line and he ran it straight back, linking up with Tim Erikson who managed to slow down enough to let DePledge catch up to take an inside pass and scamper over from 15metres out for a try. Leyland missed the conversion but 12-3 was going to be an impossible task to overcome for the students.
UUC’s plight wasn’t helped when, on 30 minutes and after a long injury delay, their number 8 had to go off with severe concussion. The score against them had rallied their players who put the pressure back on to Holywood. Much like when Holywood’s pack was one down, the seven UUC forwards remaining were always a threat, only seen off by dogged tackling from Holywood around the fringes. Holywood were on the attack when the final whistle blew.
A 12-3 win by Holywood against a previously undefeated side was well deserved. Just as pleasing was the manner of the success – a real team effort from 1 to 15. Conditions determined that the team with most grit and determination would win, but only if they played together as a unit. Holywood did that very well and although it was virtually impossible to single one player out for man-of-the-match, Ollie Grysmek got the award for another all action display.
This Saturday the quest for league points takes the 1st XV to Randalstown.
Teams for Saturday 24.11.07
1st XV: away to Randalstown – meet at club at 12.30pm
I.DePledge, A. Macdonald, R. Wooley, M. Williams, J.Cooke, O.Grysmek, G.Hillen, G. Stocker, D. Hunter, S.Leyland, G Brown, S.Glover, S Cave, N. Ferguson, T Erikson
