It was good news and bad news this week for Coach Rolly WILLS with four first team squad members returning but a different three missing of TAYLOR SCULLION and GILLAN due to non-availability so he had literally to reshuffle his pack. The front row stayed the same but had to select a new second row of Martin WOOD and the versatile Jon LEE with Jack SCANTLEBURY and David LOWES in the back row and Kieran THOMAS covering at 8.
IN the three quarters he welcomed back Ryan SEED and Sebastian JANSON at centre and on the wing with Darren CORNWALL being joined as impact players by Joe JENKINS and Mickey FERGUSON.

On a sunny, still almost ‘spring like day’ Winlaton won the toss and elected to kick up the slope and made the best of starts when they drew first blood in the third minute.

GRICE fielded the ball from the kick off and SEDDON moved it quickly out to SEED who made a forceful run of the Winlaton 22 and broke through a number of Whitby attempted tackles and when halted in the opposition half offloaded to WHITMORE on his shoulder who jinked his way through the cover to score under the posts (5PTS) + (2PTS) SEED converting the kick.

Whitby responded immediately and launched a series of attacks of their own but good defence by Winlaton gave them the opportunity to clear their lines and from a lineout on the halfway line the ball was won and another attack was started with SEED feeding JANSEN who made good yardage but the ball was lost some 30metres out from the visitor’s line.

On 8MINS from the resultant scrum saw Winlaton show their dominance in this area when a forceful drive won the ball against the head and THOMAS picked up and drove towards the line supported by the forwards and when halted just short LEE was on hand to pick up and crash over (5PTS) the conversion kick going narrowly wide.

After this the Vulcans strangely went off the boil and Whitby through quick handling through their forwards and backs started to mount a series of attacks and although the home defence held out they made a number of mistakes and incurred penalties inviting the visitors to score which they did.

On 20MINS after numerous close range exchanges in the Winlaton half Whitby repeatedly failed to breakthrough a lapse in what had been a well organised Vulcans defence but a simple lapse in their co-ordination allowed the visitors to gallop over under the posts for a converted try (5PTS) + (2PTS).

The next quarter saw Winlaton respond with a number of attacking moves with SEED and WHITMORE prominent in the three quarters and the forwards totally dominant in the scrums and lineout but their ball management and decision at the breakdown was poor giving Whitby the chances to counter attack and to stifle any scoring opportunities.

At last on 34MINS after Whitby infringed on two occasions it gave Winlaton an attacking weapon when they kicked a penalty into the visitors 10 metre area. From the ensuing lineout SCANTLEBURY secured the ball and the forwards relentlessly drove towards the whitewash but the drive was halted illegally which should have resulted in a penalty try.

But strangely they were only awarded a penalty but justice was seen to be done when from the 5metre scrum where Whitby was under huge pressure THOMAS picked up and drove over the line (5PTS) the difficult kick from the touchline going narrowly wide.
The remainder of the half petered out with Whitby and the Vulcans mounting attacks but the game was disjointed and littered with handling errors and penalties with neither side being able to add to their score.

HALF TIME 17PTS – 7PTS

The second half saw Winlaton make the best of starts and pressurised Whitby who immediately conceded a penalty which Winlaton kicked into the visitors 10 metre zone. The lineout was one won but the drive was halted and a series of scrums saw Winlaton attack incessantly but good defence by the visitors prevented a score and they cleared their lines and mounted attack of their own.

When they spilled the ball on the halfway line the loose ball reached WHITMORE giving him the chance to show his pace and guile and he jinked his way past a number of would be defenders to score under the posts (5PTS) + (2PTS) on 48MINS giving SEED the easy chance to convert the kick.

It was more of the same and on 51MINS another loose ball reached McMORN who was inside the Vulcans 22 who also showed his pace to make a run of some 60 metres and when halted full back WALTON was up in support to finish off another spectacular try (5PTS) the touchline kick again narrowly wide.

All credit to Whitby who never gave up and were constantly at every opportunity when they gained possession running the ball back at the Winlaton defence which managed to hold out and when the chances came allowed then to launch counter attacks.

As a result, it wasn’t until 65MINS after Whitby had again infringed on the halfway line gave Winlaton another attacking penalty lineout on the opposition 22. The ball was won by LOWES and he was driven by the rest of the forwards over the line when GRICE was able to finish off the move (5PTS) for anther unconverted try.

The play continued and on 70MINS again when the play broke up and the ball went loose WHITMORE went on another long and mazy run through the opposition defence to score another opportunist try under the posts (5PTS) + (2PTS) SEED again kicking the conversion.

All credit to Whitby they responded and because of the loss of concentration and discipline by the Vulcans they started another attack in their own half and the Whitby winger broke through and ran some 60 metres to score what looked like a certain try but credit to WHITMORE who had chased all the way made a try saving tackle as the winger was about to go over the line.

The next incident was on 72MINS was when Winlaton lost a player saw GRICE being ‘Yellow Carded’ and as a result the Vulcans brought on two substitutes players in CORNWALL and JEFFERSON both of whom made immediate impacts.

When the ball was kicked into the Vulcans half they ran it out of their 22 through the forwards where JEFFERSON give a lovely behind the back off load to SEED who broke free and to score under the posts on 74MINS(5PTS) + (2PTS) SEED converting his own try.

From the restart the ball reached JENKINS the third substitution who broke out of the Winlaton 22 and supported first through JEFFERSON and THOM they carried the ball downfield and CORNWALL also there finished off another well worked team try on 77MINS (5PTS) +(2PTS) SEED converting the kick.

From the restart Winlaton sloppily failed to control the ball giving the Whitby never say die chasers the chance to pick up the ball and score in the corner for the last play of the game (5PTS) the conversion being missed.

FINAL SCORE 57PTS – 12PTS

Man of the Match Ryan SEED