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Sat 04 Sep 2010 · National League 3 North
Billingham
1st XV
28
34
Tries: M KACIUBSKYJ, J WILSON (2), R HOPKINSON (2), A FULLERConversions: R HOPKINSON (2)
YOUNG BLOOD....
Richard Hope7 Sep 2010 - 00:52
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At 17 years and 278 days debutant Mike Kaciubskyj scores and takes the Man of the Match mantle.
Stockport RUFC made a 120 mile journey to Cleveland for their first League game of the new season. It was not a wasted journey as they returned with a 28-34 win and a try bonus point against the newly promoted champions of North 1 East, Billingham.
The game was played at a hundred miles an hour on a pitch that had hardly seen a drop of rain in the previous six weeks. The pace of the home side caught out Stockport after only 2 minutes when they moved the ball quickly down their right wing after a blindside break. The try was converted 7-0.
To start with the Stockport line out was not its usual secure avenue to possession and they lost two of their attacking throws in quick succession. Then Stockport scored an excellent try in the 9th minute. Fly half Jonny Edwards made a half break and moved the ball to centre Craig Cooper. As Cooper moved in the 22 he managed to deliver a well timed pass out to the right wing. This was 17 year old Mike Kaciubskyj making his 1st XV debut. He strode on towards the line stepped inside a half tackle and then managed to ground the ball. The moderate cross wind made conversion from the right of the posts difficult all day and the try went unconverted. 7-5.
Just as Stockport thought they were settling into the game Billingham came straight and had scored another converted try within 2 minutes which left a few questions about the visitors defence near to break downs. 14-5
In the 25th minute the referee made a decision that had a big impact on the game. In a clash of two front rows , Stockport hooker Tom Cruse was ‘dump’ tackled by a Billingham prop Danny Dixon. The referee viewed it as dangerous and also deserving of a yellow card and dispatched the home player to the sin bin. It proved to be an expensive 10 minutes for his team.
John Wilson started the 12 point turn round with a speedy break for the line. 14-10. Then 5 minutes later Jonny Edwards executed a perfect cross field chip into Richard Hopkinson’s path as he ran through from full back. Richard collected the ball without breaking stride and touched down close enough to allow his own conversion. 14-17
With the Stockport line out now fully functioning it came into its own as the half came to an end with John Wilson bagging a second try following a text book catch and drive. With no conversion it was the end of the scoring for the half at 14-22.
The consensus of Stockport travelling opinion was that after what we’d witnessed in the first 2 minutes it was a score that we were happy to settle for at the interval. I was admonished by some older and allegedly wiser alacadoos who were present for my talk of bonus points.
As the game resumed I hoped for a short time that I wasn’t going to regret my unguarded comments as Billingham attacked us from all angles. It took them 14 minutes but they were duly rewarded when, after we’d shown excellent defensive resolve, a Billingham player suddenly appeared to just stroll through a gap wide enough for the proverbial London Bus. With the conversion the home were within a point 21-22 and far too close for comfort.
It was just the wakeup call required and we proceeded to give our hosts a bit of their own treatment with a sustained period of pressure camped on the Billingham line. Their scrum seemed to be creaking but the eventual score came through the backs and was finished out by Richard Hopkinson. Richard then added his second conversion of the day. 21-29 with 13 minutes to play.
The next noteworthy incident came with an isolated incident of hand bags at dawn. When the lip gloss had dried the referee decided to make an example of one player from either side. It was James Anthony who saw yellow for Stockport and was sent to the naughty step for 10 minutes.
Nick Blackham came on with fresh legs with Josh Cammus coming off and Dave Marwick moving to 2nd Row. We then took full advantage of a Billingham error. We were awarded a penalty around the half way line and Richard Hopkinson went for the corner flag. He missed touch but as the ball rolled around in front of the home try line their full back took his eye off it for a moment and knocked on. From the ensuing scrum we went blind. Observers, a lot closer than I was, reported that the try was allegedly scored by Andy Fuller from at least 3.8 metres. They told me that he hit the line like ‘a warthog on speed’ Having never seen that species in a drugged condition I will have to take their word for it! 21-34. A lot of credit to Billingham who grabbed themselves 2 bonus points with a late try.
Final Score 28-34
POSTSCRIPT
The man of the match went to the young debutant Mike Kaciubskyj. I’m sure it won’t be long before he gets his next 1st XV outing. In conclusion, I would only add that after the game someone strangely passed the comment to me ..” Well you’ll have a job picking the bones out of that for your match report”. I couldn’t agree less.....he evidently hadn’t borne witness to our 2009-2010 trips to Cleckeaton, Rochdale, Penrith, Middlesborough, to mention just four.....they really were causes of writer’s block!!! There was more than enough to get your teeth into ...not a perfect performance by any stretch of the imagination...but a work in progress....
The game was played at a hundred miles an hour on a pitch that had hardly seen a drop of rain in the previous six weeks. The pace of the home side caught out Stockport after only 2 minutes when they moved the ball quickly down their right wing after a blindside break. The try was converted 7-0.
To start with the Stockport line out was not its usual secure avenue to possession and they lost two of their attacking throws in quick succession. Then Stockport scored an excellent try in the 9th minute. Fly half Jonny Edwards made a half break and moved the ball to centre Craig Cooper. As Cooper moved in the 22 he managed to deliver a well timed pass out to the right wing. This was 17 year old Mike Kaciubskyj making his 1st XV debut. He strode on towards the line stepped inside a half tackle and then managed to ground the ball. The moderate cross wind made conversion from the right of the posts difficult all day and the try went unconverted. 7-5.
Just as Stockport thought they were settling into the game Billingham came straight and had scored another converted try within 2 minutes which left a few questions about the visitors defence near to break downs. 14-5
In the 25th minute the referee made a decision that had a big impact on the game. In a clash of two front rows , Stockport hooker Tom Cruse was ‘dump’ tackled by a Billingham prop Danny Dixon. The referee viewed it as dangerous and also deserving of a yellow card and dispatched the home player to the sin bin. It proved to be an expensive 10 minutes for his team.
John Wilson started the 12 point turn round with a speedy break for the line. 14-10. Then 5 minutes later Jonny Edwards executed a perfect cross field chip into Richard Hopkinson’s path as he ran through from full back. Richard collected the ball without breaking stride and touched down close enough to allow his own conversion. 14-17
With the Stockport line out now fully functioning it came into its own as the half came to an end with John Wilson bagging a second try following a text book catch and drive. With no conversion it was the end of the scoring for the half at 14-22.
The consensus of Stockport travelling opinion was that after what we’d witnessed in the first 2 minutes it was a score that we were happy to settle for at the interval. I was admonished by some older and allegedly wiser alacadoos who were present for my talk of bonus points.
As the game resumed I hoped for a short time that I wasn’t going to regret my unguarded comments as Billingham attacked us from all angles. It took them 14 minutes but they were duly rewarded when, after we’d shown excellent defensive resolve, a Billingham player suddenly appeared to just stroll through a gap wide enough for the proverbial London Bus. With the conversion the home were within a point 21-22 and far too close for comfort.
It was just the wakeup call required and we proceeded to give our hosts a bit of their own treatment with a sustained period of pressure camped on the Billingham line. Their scrum seemed to be creaking but the eventual score came through the backs and was finished out by Richard Hopkinson. Richard then added his second conversion of the day. 21-29 with 13 minutes to play.
The next noteworthy incident came with an isolated incident of hand bags at dawn. When the lip gloss had dried the referee decided to make an example of one player from either side. It was James Anthony who saw yellow for Stockport and was sent to the naughty step for 10 minutes.
Nick Blackham came on with fresh legs with Josh Cammus coming off and Dave Marwick moving to 2nd Row. We then took full advantage of a Billingham error. We were awarded a penalty around the half way line and Richard Hopkinson went for the corner flag. He missed touch but as the ball rolled around in front of the home try line their full back took his eye off it for a moment and knocked on. From the ensuing scrum we went blind. Observers, a lot closer than I was, reported that the try was allegedly scored by Andy Fuller from at least 3.8 metres. They told me that he hit the line like ‘a warthog on speed’ Having never seen that species in a drugged condition I will have to take their word for it! 21-34. A lot of credit to Billingham who grabbed themselves 2 bonus points with a late try.
Final Score 28-34
POSTSCRIPT
The man of the match went to the young debutant Mike Kaciubskyj. I’m sure it won’t be long before he gets his next 1st XV outing. In conclusion, I would only add that after the game someone strangely passed the comment to me ..” Well you’ll have a job picking the bones out of that for your match report”. I couldn’t agree less.....he evidently hadn’t borne witness to our 2009-2010 trips to Cleckeaton, Rochdale, Penrith, Middlesborough, to mention just four.....they really were causes of writer’s block!!! There was more than enough to get your teeth into ...not a perfect performance by any stretch of the imagination...but a work in progress....
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