Bad defeat for LSH

LSH continued their roller coaster season with a bad defeat at Midlands side Broadstreet in a game that, at times, both sides did their best to lose.

With an already rearranged three-quarter line featuring Simon Worsley at scrum half and Sean Casey at stand off, the withdrawal of Danny Collins through illness forced a further switch of Ally Young to full back and the move of James Cashman into the centre. When an ankle injury to Martyn Riley after 15 minutes led to Cashman moving back to wing forward, young Chris Newall filled the vacant centre berth.

Unfortunately for LSH this produced a disjointed display with players out of position and a team seemingly in need of clear organisation.

The game, however, started well with Simon Worsley landing a penalty in the second minute. Three minutes later winger Dan Jones took advantage of poor Broadstreet handling to race 40 yards for a try and an 8-0 lead. Five minutes later John Smart landed a drop goal for the Street and the referee belatedly called for Broadstreet to change their shirts from red to green. The change certainly helped to distinguish the teams and also seemed to galvanise the home side as if finding another gear moving from stop to go!

After Worsley added another penalty, Broadstreet dominated the remainder of the half. Winger Jordan Hands glided through the LSH defence for the first score and second rower Dave Cummins claimed the try following an eight-man shove across the LSH line. Both were converted to leave LSH trailing 17-11 at half time.

The home side went further ahead when Smart finished off a nice move just five minutes into the second half. LSH fought hard to reduce the arrears but were not helped by an apparent lack of invention, and at times simple errors, such as two crossing offences in quick succession when in attacking positions.

They did score through Sean Casey with twenty minutes to go, after excellent work from Newall and Luke Granger, but despite a spirited effort, particularly from the untiring powerhouse of Nugent and Marsh, they failed to make any impact.

The win throws Broadstreet a lifeline in National Three (North) and leaves LSH, although seventh in the table, with the prospect of some tense encounters in the weeks ahead.

These begin at Dudley Kingswinford this Saturday (22 February) in a game of crucial importance to both teams. What a difference twelve month makes.

Almost this time last year the two sides met at Moss Lane to effectively decide the play-off spot. In the midlands this Saturday, because of the vagaries of the RFU's relegation rules, Steve Cook and Shaun Perry's teams are playing to avoid the drop zone.