Victory means Lymm are safe from relegation (From Warrington Guardian)

Victory means Lymm RFC are safe from relegation

10:38pm Sunday 10th March 2013 in Sport

Lymm 38 Bradford and Bingley 17

LYMM went into the game on the back of a heavy defeat to Harrogate and looking for that ‘one more win’ to secure safety in the league.

Bradford’s relegation fears were a bit more real, so it was a game both teams needed to win and probably thought they could.

Lymm had Allen, Darbyshire and Brotherton missing in the forwards, so Bray moved to hooker to bolster the front row.

The game started in rain and with Bradford playing with the advantage of a slight breeze.

The opening exchanges were fairly even although Bradford had the clear ascendancy in the scrum, which continued for most of the afternoon.

Lymm put the first points on the board after 8 mins with an excellent 40 yard Cormack Nolan penalty.

At this point Lymm were beginning to get on top and the shout from the coaching team was to ‘keep the ball’. Lymm did but they also kicked it, the difference this week over previous games was they kicked (and chased) well!

From a raking Joe Knowles kick Lymm stole the lineout and were awarded another penalty, which was duly kicked to make it 6 – 0.

Lymm attacked again and were now looking good, only to shoot themselves in the foot.

After multi-phases Tom Baker lost his bearings, all the team were lined up left, instead Tom passed right and gifted the Bradford and Bingley number 7 the ball, who ran the full length of the field to score.

Lymm came again and on 20 minutes, after another great series of phases with forwards and backs working the space well Sam Mullarkey crashed over to restore Lymm’s lead to 13-5.

Bradford came back and for the rest of the half dominated possession.

With the Lymm scrum creaking Bradford scored a pushover try to take the score to 13-12.

Despite all the Bradford possession Lymm defended well and led by some trademark Oakes hits kept Bradford out for the rest of the half.

Bradford had certainly finished the first half on top and began the second in similar vein, attacking the Lymm line through the forwards.

Lymm again weathered the storm and started to gain territory. Cormack Nolan slotted another great penalty and suddenly the game changed. Bradford seemed to tire and run out of steam whilst Lymm stepped up the pace.

A deep kick into the Bradford half was charged down by Dave Williamson who dribbled the ball on for Joe Knowles to scoop up and score.

5 minutes later another great kick chase was turned over, the ball was spun out to the backs, Joe Knowles came into the line and put through a superbly weighted grubber kick for Tom Bray to score, 28-12 to Lymm and the game was over.

Forwards and backs were now enjoying themselves, even taking a couple against the head in the scrum.

Sam Mullarkey was having an excellent game at 8 tidying up the ball at the back for the scrum.

Tom Bray was controlling things well at ten and Joe Knowles was strutting around at full back looking stylish and classy.

On 65 minutes forwards and backs combined for the try of the season.

The forwards had a superb drive from the line. Tom Bray executed a run around in the centre, Joe Knowles straightened the line and put in superb pass for Dave Williamson to splashdown in the corner.

Lymm had put a fantastic 20 minutes together which blew Bradford away, 38-12 and the bonus point was secured.

Bradford stirred themselves to score a consolation try through the forwards but it was too little too late.

Lymm’s second half performance was excellent – forwards and backs playing with confidence and looking as though they were enjoying themselves.

They even kicked well.

The win means they can now enjoy the rest of the season free from any lingering relegation worries, the same cannot be said for Bradford.