Report by Ant Bullick
Photos by Gav Slater (gallery)
Nottingham Outlaws suffered Challenge Cup heartache as a last minute RAF try condemned Martin Crick's side to a 32-30 defeat at Highfields on Saturday.
The Outlaws were leading 30-20 with just seven minutes to go before the RAF, who played the last 15 minutes with 12 men, staged a sensational comeback to come out on top in this pulsating match-up.
The match was billed as the one to watch leading up to the weekend's Carnegie Challenge Cup fixtures and the two sides did not disappoint with a flurry of tries, a red card, a sin binning and late, late drama providing a perfect afternoon of Rugby for the neutral.
There were few neutrals in the crowd as the Outlaws were cheered on by a strong home support as they took to the field for their first game of 2011.
They were without several first team players including captain Paul Calland, Simon Morton and Oliver Crick but did welcome back Jez Cox who missed the 2010 campaign and Rob Brown who was sidelined through injury for much of last season.
There were also first team debuts for stand-off Dan Smith and youngster Reece Needham, who has progressed up through the club's academy set-up.
Above: an RAF player is sandwiched between Adam Millward and debutant Reece Needham
The game started off slowly as both teams sized each other up with neither outfit quite sure what to expect from their counterparts but three tries in 6 minutes opened the contest up.
The RAF drew first blood when Outlaws' full-back Phil Artley was left exposed as the visitors broke the line of defence and a 3-on-1 left Artley with no chance as Evans touched down under the posts. Wood converted to make it 6-0.
Going behind kick-started Nottingham and two minutes later they were level after they capitalised on a forced RAF knock-on. The Outlaws' forwards drove the ball in and hooker Shane Wright took the ball from dummy-half on the RAF try line before firing a pass across to Freddie Humphries who held off two tackles to touch down. Greg Moore, making his Outlaws return following his stint in Australia, kicked the conversion.
On the ensuing kick-off, Smith knocked-on as the blustery conditions began to have an impact on the game and the RAF took full advantage as Hutchinson grabbed a try to put the 2010 Steeden Cup winners back in front. Wood added the extras.
Nottingham went in immediate search of another try but attacks through the middle and out wide were met with a stern RAF defence but the home side eventually crossed the try line following a penalty for crossing against the RAF. Artley was fed the ball 15 metres out and showed good footwork to leave defenders trailing and managed to hold off a tackle to stretch over and plant the ball down. Moore missed the conversion to leave the scores level at 10-10.
Above: Scrum-half Dan Smith looks to promote the football
Martin Crick was left bewildered a short time later as the RAF re-took the lead through a Perrin try - despite the centre looking as though he dropped the ball in the in-goal area. Wood converted the disputed try to make it 16-10.
With the clock ticking down to half-time, Brown forced a knock-on in RAF territory to give the Outlaws the ball back and a moment of magic from Cox cut the deficit to two points heading into the break. The centre spotted a gap in the RAF defence and left them grasping at thin air as he raced away to score.
Cox's hard work was undone straight after the break as the RAF utilised numbers out wide to send Tallett over for the score. Wood missed the conversion.
The Outlaws completely controlled the next 25 minutes and grabbed three tries as they took the lead for the first time. Needham repaid the faith shown in him by Crick as the young hooker danced his way past several RAF defenders to touch down and Moore converted to draw the sides level at 20-all.
Tempers flared just after and prop Adam Millward was sin-binned for his part in the fracas as the intensity levels rose with the game entering the final third.
Nottingham didn't let the man disadvantage hamper their quest to the take the lead though. Outlaws' winger Melbourne Weir forced a knock on and Smith made a break through the middle and worked the ball wide to Weir who was stopped just short of the line but there was no stopping Artley on the next play the ball as he grabbed his second try of the game.
A moment of madness from Evans saw the RAF down to 12-men after the stand-off saw red for kneeing Tom Cliffe in the head. The game looked like it was put to bed as Weir grabbed a try with a little of five minutes remaining after good work from Moore and Cox released the winger down the left. Moore converted to give the Outlaws what looked like a healthy 10 point lead.
A converted try from Jinks set up a frantic finish with the score 30-26 in favour of Nottingham and the armed forces side shocked the crowd as they levelled the scores with barely enough time left to take the conversion. Wood held is nerve to kick the extras and send the RAF through to the second round of the Challenge Cup for the first time since 2002.
Above: Winger Melbourne Weir looks to evade the clutches of an RAF defender
Martin Crick admits he was shocked at the comeback but that there is a lot of positives to take from the first game of the season. He said: "It was always going to be difficult as you never really know what to expect from armed forces sides but to be leading by 10 with five minutes left and lose is gut wrenching.
"I'm a little shocked we let the lead slip but this just proves that anything can happen in Rugby League - especially the Challenge Cup and we have to learn from this experience and make sure we play 100% right until the final whistle.
"Considering that that was our first competitive Rugby of the season, taking away the last five minutes I was pleased with how the players performed.
"We had a new half-back partnership with Moore returning and Smith making his debut for us and I thought the pair played well.
"Needham has impressed me with his attitude in training and he didn't disappoint me out there and he deserved that fantastic solo try he scored. He didn't look fazed by the step-up to the first team.
"Jez' return is a big boost for the club and he fully deserved the man-of-the-match award he walked away with - an award a number of players could have got.
"Our focus now turns back to pre-season and gearing ourselves up for the league campaign.
"We were missing key players out there today yet still should have won. It just shows the strength in depth we have at this club and I'm confident we can do some exciting things in the Rugby League Conference National this year."
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