MATCH REPORT:

12th April 2025

Silverdale Prems vs Northcote Prems: 28-34

This week we had another home game against Northcote. The day started with a minutes silence for the passing of Dr John Mayhew, a stalwart of the Northcote Rugby Club.

We got to kick off with the wind at our backs. Northcote don’t clear the ball missing the touchline so we attack through the backs taking the ball to both edges. Inside their 22 Tom Barham nudges a kick behind them and into the hands of Joe Hennings, but there is a knock on called. After the scrum Northcote kick for touch. We lose the lineout and Northcote take the ball to the edges and then kick deep into our half. Matt Renal returns the ball with a kick over their heads and this works as Northcote make an error. We scrum well, but another knock on in the backline turns over the ball. We win their scrum and go again. We run a few phases into them, then pass it out wide to find Joe Hennings again and he gets in a gap and trots over the line. The try is unconverted. 5-0 to Dale.

Northcote receive their kick off and struggle to get over the gain line. We are caught offside and they go to touch. They maul off the lineout and make their way over our try line in the corner. They convert. 7-5 to Northcote.

We kick off deep, receive an exit kick and run it back at them. Northcote are strong in the breakdown and turn the ball over. We manage to get it back and kick into their half for territory. They run it back at us and a missed tackle on the wing opens up play and their supporting players link well and score in the corner. Its converted, now 14-5 to Northcote.

We kick off deep again and Northcote run it wide again. They knock on and we scrum well again, soon clearing to the touch line. We win the lineout and carry wide quickly to gain some metres. Several phases later we get a penalty which is quickly tapped by co-captain Tom Barham and he runs hard to the corner whilst Northcote are retreating and scores in the corner. Its unconverted. 10-14 to Northcote.

We receive the kick off short and clear deep for Northcote to run at us but they make a mistake wide. We gather the ball and run towards their line with a strong run from Gannon Moore, but he falls short. We go the other way and find the hands of Tom Taula in space and he scores at the right hand corner. Its unconverted. 15-14 to Dale.

We receive the kick off but an exit kick gets the wind and runs dead. Northcote string a few phases together and get to our line. Some good defence from Dale slows them up, but eventually they crack our line and score under the posts. Its converted. 21-15 to Northcote.

We kick off and Northcote only clear to their 10m line. They win the lineout and run at us, but we force their error and run back into their 22 and then make a knock on. Each team makes a few phases against each other until Silverdale find a gap in their backline & score through lock Shun Noriya. Its converted, 22-21 to Dale. Only minute sto half time and the score remains the same.

After the half time break Northcote kick off short and we run a few phases into them. A move out wide to the other side gains us massive territory getting inside their 22. We take it wide to the other side until the ball goes across the side line. Northcote clear from the line out, win it but kick the ball with the wind long until it goes dead. Our scrum midfield is again solid and we take the ball down the middle. This sets up an opportunity for Tom Barham to take a drop goal which he nails. 25-21 to Dale.

We receive the kick off and clear to touch. Northcote win the line out and run it at us through their backs. We defend well and they are pushed into touch. We don’t clear well after the line out by kicking the ball in touch on the full after carrying back, so Northcote get another opportunity inside our 22. They maul well toward our line but get caught offside with great defence from our forward pack. But we soon knock the ball on into touch and Northcote maul solid again from the line out to drive across our line. They convert, its 28-25 to Northcote with 25 minutes remaining.

We kick off deep and Northcote return the kick. We run it back at them getting well into their half. Northcotes prop gets sin-binned from an illegal cleanout and put them down to 14 men. We carry wide but the ball is thrown into touch. Northcote run strong at us and get deep into our half. They continue to carry well but eventually knock the ball on midfield. We get out of our half and go wide. We get caught short in the break down and turn the ball over. Northcote make their way down our end and put pressure on our try line. Northcote decide to take the free kick to go 31-25 ahead.

We kick off deep again and Northcote secure the ball, then kick deep back at us. We carry well and take the ball to both edges confidently. Northcote manage to get the ball and kick deep into our half. We start again to work the ball back down the field. A clearing kick is returned to us and we kick for touch. They work the ball into our 22 and near the try line, but we hold them out … again. We get off side which results in a line out. We win their line out and exit down to the middle of the field. We get caught off side and Northcote take a penalty kick to wind down the clock and have a rest. They get this to go 34-25 ahead.

At the kick off Northcote run at us, then clear so we hold the ball and work our way back into the wind. The next period is general play midfield until we get caught holding on at the break down. Northcote are now inside our 22. We win their lineout but soon knock the ball on. We win the scrum and work down to their 22. Northcote are tired but time is running out. We get a penalty and decide to take the points to get a bonus point. Its 34-28 to Northcote at the final whistle.

A close game and it could have gone either way. This was another improvement on last week so we now look forward to Massey on Good Friday. Our player of the day went to Shaun Neilsen for solid carries and defence. Callum Maloyd had his debut from the U21’s, a late call up and he held his own. Congratulations Callum. See you next week for round 4.

Article added: Tuesday 15 April 2025