GLOUCS WARRIORS 14 OUTLAWS 42 (3/5/2008)

Report by Richard Johnson

Photos by Gav Slater (gallery)

Nottingham Outlaws Rugby League Club travelled to Gloucester Warriors on Saturday for a difficult fixture against a club who they have never beaten on their travels. However, in a hard-fought encounter the Outlaws were too sharp for their West Country rivals and they blitzed the home team with a superb 40-14 victory which sees the Outlaws sitting 2 points clear at the top of the table.

The match kicked off with the Outlaws having first use of quite a steep slope on the pitch and the advantage it gave was immediately apparent. In fact, the opening stanza was virtually a carbon-copy of last week's match at Leicester as the Outlaws attacking machine went into full throttle straight from the kick-off. The speed of the Outlaws attack caught the Gloucester team by suprise and rapier -like thrusts from the Outlaws attacking machine punctured huge holes in the startled Gloucester defence.

The score-board began to click with the match only 3 minutes old as wily stand-off Paul Calland put through a perfectly-weighted grubber kick for the supporting Edwards to pounce for a superbly crafted try that Thornton converted to make it 6-0 and the Outlaws were off the mark. However, despite the opening dominance by the Outlaws it was clear to all that this Gloucester team were were going to pose a threat and they fought back with a penalty to drag the score back to 6-2. The Warriors almost went one better but they had a try disallowed for a rather harsh forward pass decision.

Above: Two-try Martin Edwards demonstrates a textbook ball-carry for the purists

Having been tested on their own line the Outlaws went back on the attack and they scored another try from a clever grubber kick This time the architect was half-back maestro Jimmy Lewis whose perfectly-weighetd kick left the Warriors defence flat-footed and quick-witted Ben Thornton was on hand to pounce for his first try of the match. Thornton couldnt quite add the extras but the scoreboard was soon ticking over again as Paul Calland put in yet another deft kick. This time he re-gathered the ball and finished the solo effort with a fine try that stretched the Outlaws lead to 16-2 as Thornton converted from in front of the sticks.

Stung by this reversal the Warriors went back onto the attack and as their bigger forwards began to get to grips with the pace of the game the Outlaws defence began to creak a little. The danger signals became louder as concerted home pressure saw the Warriors ask some serious questions of the Outlaws defence and they eventually pierced the Outlaws line to post a try under the posts just on the stroke of half time to claw the Outlaws lead back to 16-8.

With the lead having been pegged back, the Outlaws faithful had a few nervous looks on their faces as they contemplated a second half in which the larger Gloucester team would have both the wind and the slope in their favour. However once again the Outlaws started the second half at break-neck speed and from the kick off they stormed up the pitch with string of piercing drives from the forwards into the Warriors red zone. With the try line in sight the ball zipped down the line and Millward slipped a beautiful pass out of the back of his hand to free speedy winger Roy Yorke who waltzed over the line for a great try.

Out on the other wing unlucky winger Kees Foxon had to leave the field as he injured his ankle and on came replacement Chris McNamara for his debut. The rookie winger was soon in the action and with virtually his first touch of the ball he scored the try of the match!. In the build up the Outlaws tore the home defence to shreds with a beautiful handling movement, in which the ball zipped through 6 pairs of hands. The final pass unleashed McNamara on the opposite wing and the young sharp-shooter dived in at the corner for a superb try that even had the home supporters applauding in appreciation.

Above: Adam Millward flicks out a miracle pass in the lead-up to Roy Yorke's try

With the Outlaws still in full throttle the Warriors began to buckle under the strain and with the pressure came more points. Roy Yorke burst through the tiring home line and released the supporting Edwards who was too big and too fast for the chasing defenders and the rangey second-rower powered over the line for his second of the match. With a straight forward conversion Thornton stretched the lead to 30-8 and with the mid-way stage approaching in the second half it seemed likely that the game was in the bag. However, the out-gunned warriors at last began to get to grips with the pace of the match and their bigger, more-physical fowards started to get the upper hand as the Outlaws defence began to tire. The warriors began to dominate field position as the slope began to tell. The alarm bells really began to jangle when a quick tap-penalty caught the Outlaws defence napping and the home team scooted in for a converted try that pegged the score back to 30-14. With more than 20 minutes still to play there were a few worried brows and nervous glances amongst the Outlaws travelling support.

Spurred on by this score the Warriors threw everything they could at the Outlaws in what was to be the defining period of the match. With the Outlaws defence tiring Coach Crick threw on young second -rower Aidan Pritchard for his first team debut and the young tyro did not dissapoint The Warriors camped in the Outlaws red zone and launched attack after attack on the Outlaws line. Time and again they came agonizingly close only to be repelled by superb Outlaws scrambling defence, led by young Pritchard, as the emerging star put in no less than 17 tackles in almost as many minutes.

Above: Man-of-the-Match Paul Calland promotes the football

As the clock ticked down the Outlaws line held firm and the steely defence of the visitors drained the enthuisiasm out of a gallant but tamed home attack. As the game slipped away from the warriors the Outlaws found renewed energy and broke out of defence. A superb break saw human dynamo Adam Millward break clear from his own 20 metres only to be hauled down just short of the try line. However, on the very next play Paul Calland ghosted over the line with a trade-mark shimmy to bag a brace of tries and on the stroke of full time Ben Thornton grabbed a short-range effort for his second try of the match. This time Thornton just failed to convert as the referee blew time with the Outlaws deservedly holding a superb 42-14 victory margin.

As the players applauded the gallant losers there were a few glances across to the coaching staff as the award for the man of the match was discussed. A few players were in with a shout for the honour but there were no complaints as midfield maestro Paul Calland grabbed the trophy for an assured all-round performance and a master-class in tactical kicking.

After the game, Coach Martin Crick congratulated his troops for a job well done and a first ever victory down in the West Country. He was particlarly pleased with how the squad is shaping up, adding " For the second week running I was really pleased by the way in which we started the match. The intensity was high and our kicking game was superb. There were a few mistakes in the middle phases but all in all its been a good day at the office and the 2 length of the field tries were especially pleasing to watch"

Next Saturday the Outlaws play local rivals Derby City (kick-off 2.30pm) in a match which will see the Outlaws play their first ever competitive match at their new home, The Bay. Games against the 2 sides are always feisty to say the least but the Outlaws will be desperate to keep the momentum going as they aim to bring the Midlands Premier Crown back to Nottingham