Following a solid and successful 2021-22 season Matlock finished 3rd in the Midlands 2 East North league and as a result of the long awaited RFU league restructuring exercise they found themselves promoted from level 7 to the new level 6 Regional 2 North Midlands League. For this first match of the new league Matlock welcomed old foes Newark to a bright and sunny Cromford Meadows. With a strong squad available the home side were only without Luke Crofts who picked up an injury in the warm up game. A strong pack consisted of John Statham, Curtis Bolam and Conor Loughnane in the front row, new captain Chris Atkinson and James Harrod in the engine room and Rory Cookman, Tom Cruttenden and Simon Wright made up a solid and mobile back row. Mark Thornley and Sam Ball were at half backs, with James Fairclough and Harry Boyd in the centres, and Ollie Prince Luke Howard and Henri Packard made up the back three. The bench was made up of forward replacements Tom Wright and George Adlington alongside the experience of Dan Hooton providing backs cover.
The game kicked off with Matlock playing towards the canal end and the opening exchanges were something of a nervy affair with both sides prone to handling errors. Some poor execution at times from the home side gave the visitors the lion’s share of early territory and possession. On 8 minutes Newark were unable to capitalise on their territorial advantage when they pushed a penalty kick wide of the uprights. Matlock’s early nerves eventually began to settle and they started to play to the patterns. Despite the improvement a few errors and transgressions meant they remained pinned in their own half for most of the opening quarter. On 20 minutes one such transgression saw Newark kick for the corner but the kick was off target and ran over the dead ball line. Matlock opted for a scrum in which they drove the Newark pack backwards like a steam train, the ball was moved blind to James Fairclough who made a great run down the five metre channel before he was eventually stopped. The ball was recycled quickly and moved swiftly through hands to the far side where Harry Boyd was put in space to finish off the move in the corner. The conversion attempt was wide 5-0. Unfortunately the lead was extremely short-lived as from the kick off Tom Cruttenden caught the ball and made a strong carry before the ball was dislodged and fell into the path of a Newark player who regathered the loose ball and raced to the try line through a wrong footed defence to level the scores. A relatively simple conversion attempt was put wide, 5-5. On 31 mins Newark edged ahead through a penalty awarded after Matlock were adjudged to be offside at the breakdown, 5-8. Matlock responded well to the set-back when after some excellent approach play Ollie Prince edged over for a try in the scoreboard corner. The conversion attempt was just wide of the uprights, 10-8. Newark responded again with a second penalty giving them a 10-11 lead which was soon erased by Matlock’s third try on the stroke of half time. Awarded a penalty around half way Prince kicked to the corner. A strong catch and drive was pulled down illegally by the visitors but the ref played the advantage as Matlock still had the ball. After a couple of pick and goes by Atkinson and Bolam, Ollie Prince was stopped inches short but Simon Wright was on hand to force his way over in the corner. Again the conversion attempt from wide out was just off target but Matlock were 15-11 ahead at half time.
The half time team chat clearly sorted out a few issues as Matlock’s second half performance began with a bang. 2 mins into the second half the home side extended their lead when strong runs by Cruttenden and Statham put the visitors on the back foot. Under pressure at the breakdown the Newark openside was penalised for going beyond the ball at the ruck. Prince kicked to the corner and Matlock’s strong catch and drive was followed by a couple of strong carries before skipper Chris Atkinson dotted down for the bonus point try. Prince added the extras, 22-11. Matlock were now clearly in the ascendency as their confidence grew and the visitors were beginning to tire from having to repel the carries of the powerful Matlock pack with Cruttenden, Statham, Loughnane and the Wright twins all to the fore. On 50 minutes Newark attempted to clear their lines but their touch finder was gathered by Henri Packard who raced 50 metres up the touch line before finally being stopped but Ollie prince was up in support to score out wide. The conversion attempt was wide, 27-11. Matlock were now rampant and Newark’s woes were added to when their very effective openside was shown the yellow card for a very reckless clear out at the ruck, leaving them a man down for 10 minutes. Hooton came on for Fairclough in the centre and Adlington for Harrod who had put in another tremendous shift. On 57 minutes Newark were attempting to run out from defence and in trying to move the ball wide the final pass fell behind their winger, Harry Boyd was on hand to pounce on the loose ball and race unopposed the corner to touch down. Prince converted brilliantly from out wide, 34-11. With Newark still a man down Matlock capitalised on the numerical advantage to score again on 62 minutes when following another strong carry by Cruttenden the ball was moved quickly to Dan Hooton who made a telling half break before giving a cheeky offload to Henri Packard to finish off the move. The conversion was just short, 39-11. Restored to their full complement Newark continued to battle and were rewarded with their second try on 72 minutes when two quick penalties against the home side gave them a good attacking position which they capitalised on via a strong catch and drive which earned them a try in the clubhouse corner. The excellent conversion took the score to 39-18. Matlock fittingly had the final word and who better to be the scorer than the stand out player Tom Cruttenden who ploughed his way through several would be tacklers to score near the posts. Prince added the extras.
Full time 46-18

A strong start to the new campaign and a good all round team performance which sees Matlock sitting top of the league on points difference only. There is still much room for improvement and Matlock will face a very stern test next Saturday away at Melbourne.

Team: J Statham, C Bolam, C Loughnane, C Atkinson, J Harrod, R Cookman, T Cruttenden, S Wright, M Thornley, S Ball, L Howard, J Fairclough, H Boyd, O Prince, H Packard
Bench: T Wright, G Adlington, D Hooton