WOOLSTON Rovers had their first hit-out of the season on Saturday afternoon when they defeated Great Britain Teachers 32-20 in a very exciting pre-season game at the Limestone Construction Field, Monks Sports Club.
Rovers opened the scoring in the second minute when prop forward Paul Alcock made a lovely break that split the GB Teachers defence and he found centre Ben Dixon on his outside who slid over in the left corner but then six minutes later the GB Teachers responded when slick hands created space for winger Ethan Cross to squeeze over in the right corner.
Shortly afterwards Rovers moved back in front when hooker Adam Files found second row Alex Smith close to the line and he twisted in the tackle to score at the side of the posts. Dixon converted and just before the midway point of the half lovely hands out wide by Rovers saw second row Ryan Hickman crash over on the left.
Rovers stretched their advantage when Files made a great break and found loose forward Ryan Brown and his clever inside ball put Dixon over under the posts. Dixon converted his own try but then five minutes before the break the GB Teachers swept the ball along the line and winger Phil Lister stepped back inside to score on the left and make the half-time score 20-8 in Rovers favour.
Ten minutes into the second half a lovely chip behind the GB Teachers defence by Rovers substitute Jay-Jay Catterall bounced nicely into the arms of Dixon who went over wide out on the left to complete his hat trick. He once again converted his own try and just before the hour mark, a brilliant fifty metre break down the middle by centre Dan Fearnley paved the way for supporting full-back Morgan Williams to race over under the posts. Dixon added the conversion.
Rovers had substitute Sam Wood sin-binned on sixty-six minutes for throwing a punch and just before he returned to the field the GB Teachers took advantage of the extra man when substitute Tom Blewitt slipped a great ball to fellow substitute Josh Brown who scored on the left. Full-back Lewis Fairhurst added the conversion.
Right on the stroke of full-time the GB Teachers added a bit more respectability to the score when a kick on the last tackle cannoned off a Rovers defender and Fairhurst pounced to collect and score on the right. Fairhurst converted to make the final score 32-20 to Woolston.
The Man of the Match was awarded to rovers full-back Morgan Williams. He was very well supported by prop forward Paul Alcock and loose forward Ryan Brown.
After the game Rovers Head of Coaching Mal Holt said “For our first run out of the season I was really pleased with our performance. The first half saw us in control; our shape and organisation was good to see and we carried out the majority of work that we have been doing in training. The second half became a little bit messy at times and a bit more of an arm wrestle but we were a little more organised and fitter than our opponents which is down to the hard work the lads have put in during pre-season training. Special mentions must go to Morgan Williams who picked up the man of the match award on his debut for the club and also seventeen-year-old substitute Jay-Jay Catterall who played thirty-five minutes in the half-back role and looked really confident, also on his debut for Woolston. We must also give a lot of credit to the GB Teachers who provided us with a stern test and the more that they play together then they will become very hard to beat.”
Next Saturday Rovers travel across town to face Latchford Albion in another pre-season game. Kick-off is 3pm at Victoria Park Stadium.
ROVERS
Morgan Williams, Tom Gaskell, Dan Fearnley, Ben Dixon, Olly Parr, Theo Holt, Chris Forster, Wez Lawton, Adam Files, Paul Alcock, Alex Smith, Ryan Hickman, Ryan Brown.
Subs: Dom Ball, Sam Wood, Dan Griffiths, Sam Roberts, Jay-Jay Catterall, Cameron Davies.
Tries
Dixon (2 mins, 26, 50), Smith (14), Hickman (19), Williams (59).
Goals
Dixon 4
GB TEACHERS
Lewis Fairhurst, Phil Lister, Andrew Coleman, Ben Pulleyn, Ethan Cross, Jay Boyd, Rob Marsh, Elliot Liku, Luke Johnson, Josh Hamilton, James Jackson, Kevin Marshal, Jack Walton, Harry Williams.
Subs: Harry Williams, Tom Blewitt, Josh Brown, Phil Heath, Rob Pritchard, Chris Lane, Phill Rice, Rob Unsworth, Stephen Gibbs.
Tries
Cross (8 mins), Lister (35), Brown (75), Fairhurst (80).
Goals
Fairhurst 2
Referee: Gary Shaw.
