Match report by Gordon Feather
Last Saturday Brods headed over to Morley for the second round of their Papa Johns competition and sunny skies and warm Spring conditions set the scene for an entertaining open game of rugby football – and indeed the healthy crowd of supporters were not to be disappointed.

The visiting Brods put out a strong side though several senior forwards were missing from the line up, and there were groans from the visiting fans when it was announced that powerhouse lock, Alex Murphy had to withdraw earlier in the morning for medical reasons. However, this created the opportunity for juniors to step up and show what they could do, with Harry Wardman joining the now established teenager, Charlie Culf, in the second row, Harvey Crossley making his debut from the bench and Jamie Scott starting at Number 6.

Brods started proceedings, kicking off towards the Scatcherd Lane end, and immediately the ball was spilled by Morley, gifting possession to Brods. Brods retained possession well on their first set of phases and quick hands saw young full back, Kemp, in for the games’ opening try after just 2 minutes. Conversion by Kelly, 0-7 to Brods.

From the resulting kick off it was Morley’s turn to attack, but Brods were not making mistakes whereas Morley found it difficult to hold on to the ball. A long defensive kick from fly half Kelly forced a Morley knock-on some 40 metres from the Morley line. From the scrum the Brods were threatening again and after a good Hesletine break, a cross kick forced Morley to touch down behind their goal line. From the ensuing drop out, the visitors held the ball well and a fine beak by Ben Barron put skipper, Craven, in for another try. The Kelly conversion took the score to 0-14 to Brods after 8 minutes. The pessimists in the Brods faithful were crowing now, but the older and wiser supporters knew that this Morley side, who finished 4th in the league, would bounce back. And so Morley did.

From the kick off Morley stole possession and moved the ball well amongst their powerful looking back line, where their left winger powered over in the stand side corner. The conversion missed, score 5 -14 after just 10 minutes. The following 10 minutes saw play getting scrappy with both sides conceding penalties a making mistakes, but the visiting forwards were working hard with Craven, Wroot and Ashton catching the eye. However, there was a feeling that Morley were having the better of the exchanges. On 20 minutes, following a free kick to Morley, who were threatening again finding touch on the Brods 22, a line out steal by Brods and a powerful Kelly punt to the Morley 30 saw a knock on by the home side giving Brods the scrum. Somewhat against the run of play, from this scrum the ball was spread to the left and Ben Barron was over wide out in the left hand corner, having had the benefit of the referee missing what looked like a forward pass – to the vociferous dissent of the home supporters! Conversion missed, 5-19 to Brods after 22 minutes.
Morley were now intent on getting back in the game and forcing play but were not finding it easy against determined opposition, with Kelly regularly forcing them back with long clearing kicks. However, after 30 minutes Morley pressure began to tell, and one of the home centres broke the Brods line and scored under the sticks, the conversion taking the score to 12-19.

It looked like Brods were going to hold out until half time, despite the home pressure, until in the 40th minute, the elusive Morley scrum half wriggled his way through to score a fine individual try from short range, the conversion taking the score to 19 apiece. The Brods looked exhausted, and Morley were well and truly on top. At the following kick off, the Brods kick was taken by that Morley scrum half again, who side stepped his way through gaps in potential tacklers before racing clear to score a magnificent solo try from 70 metres. The conversion was successful, taking the score to 26-19 at the half time whistle, which felt cruel to the crestfallen visitors who had put so much into the game thus far.

Brods made substitutions at half time and big Lee Imiolek entered the fray. The second half began in much the same vein as the first half ended, with Morley on the attack and looking threatening finding field position in Brods’ territory. The ball was being swung across their three quarter line from one side of the field to the other, when Jimmy Hodkinson raced to intercept a long Morley pass to give himself a clear run to the Morley line from his own 22. There was to be no stopping determined Jimmy, who burned off defenders to score a spectacular solo try by the posts. The conversion was made by Kelly and at 26-26 it was game on.

This try seemed to re-energise the Brods who now appeared to be in the ascendancy. Josh Kelly had his kicking boots on and was getting the better of his opposite number in kicking duels. However, on 48 minutes a long 50 metre kick from Morley found touch some 5 metres from the Brods line and won the home side the throw in at the line out. The Brods somehow managed to steal the ball and spread it along the back line in the visitors’ 22 where full back Kemp fed speedy wing Ben Barron to run clear. Barron sprinted clear to half way line where he put in a perfectly weighted kick to the Morley dead ball area and
won the foot race to score yet another magnificent solo try, the conversion being made by Kelly. At 26-33 there seemed to be a complete turnaround in fortunes with Morley now looking tired after 50 minutes.

Some 2 minutes later and with Morley on the attack the ball was lost again and picked up by Brods who spread the ball in their own 22 to put Barron away once more. Similarly to two minutes earlier Barron drew the defence and kicked ahead to the Morley try line, the excited Brods support wondering whether a repeat try would be scored. On this occasion the kick didn’t quite have the legs, and the home side were alive to the danger and fielded the ball some 5 metres from their try line. At this stage the dominant Brods attacked the Morley line with some vigour and went excruciatingly close on a couple of occasions. Firstly, centre Dunne just couldn’t get his pass away to Barron on the overlap some 10 metres out, and then Elliott Craven was stopped inches short under the posts. This was a pivotal moment as a Brods try at this stage would have surely put the game out of reach of the home side. However, Elliott was penalised for holding on to the ball giving Morley much needed respite. Morley then took the resulting play up to half way driving well and retaining possession. On 60 minutes and from the halfway line, the Morley scrum half, and Brods’ nemesis, again broke through a tiny gap in the Brods’ line after an innocuous looking drive, to sprint clear and score another scintillating long range solo try bringing up his hatrick of spectacular solo tries. The successful conversion put the scores level at 33-33.

Unperturbed, Brods continued to press and won a succession of penalties. Both sides were tiring and Ryan Harris had to leave the field after giving his usual 100% for the Brods. On 68 minutes Kelly decided to take a long range shot at goal from one of the penalties and stroked over a fine kick from 40 metres. 33-36 to the Brods.

Shortly after the kick off came another crucial moment in the game. On 70 minutes Imiolek was yellow carded for a high tackle. Whilst the tackle was neither malicious nor a direct high shot, but rather a case of mis-timing, it was in front of the referee, who had no option but to bin Lee. Morley took a kick at goal from the resulting penalty which was missed.
Brods were holding on and a succession of kicks followed from one end of the field and then the other. Morley in their eagerness to get up field then conceded another penalty on 74 minutes, which was again stroked over by Kelly from 40 metres taking the score to 33-39 to Brods with 5 minutes to play.

In the last few minutes of play Morley made their numerical superiority count and from an infringement close to the Brods line elected to take a scrum with the intention of driving the shorthanded visitors back over their try line. Although the determined Brods’ scrum held firm the ball was quickly fed out to the home threequarters where one of the Morley centres ran a fine line and doubled back to break the Brods defence and touch down. An easy conversion followed and no further points were scored in the game making Morley the victors by the narrowest of margins 40-39.

The spectators, both neutral and partisan, had witnessed a magnificent and pulsating game of rugby football. Both teams and the experienced referee contributed to the match's outcome. It's unfortunate one side lost.

It was a fitting end to Brods season and after being heavily defeated in the league game at Morley earlier in the season, the boys have stepped up to match Morley, who will be one of the favourites for promotion next season. A creditable fifth in Regional North East 2 is one of the highest position the Brods have finished. Enjoy the break gentlemen and we look forward to the season's return.