Matlock RFC prevail following a topsy-turvy encounter

The game kicked off with Matlock making something of a slow and disjointed start.

With a penalty given away, Leicester Forest kicked to the corner and scored a very soft try off the lineout from a short throw to the front which caught the home side napping, giving the visitors an early 0-5 lead.

On the 20 minute mark Matlock won a line out just inside the visitors 22 from which a good catch and driving maul saw the visitors driven back over their own line for Luke Crofts to touch down. Tom Morton added the extras for 7-5.

On the half hour Matlock found themselves behind again when a series of unnecessary penalties cost them territorially. The visitors capitalised on Matlock’s ill-discipline by applying some prolonged pressure on the Matlock line eventually finding a gap to score out wide. The conversion attempt was off target - 7-10.

Matlock again responded well and within minutes had regained the lead as another driving maul took them to within seven metres of the line, Simon Wright made a strong carry and was tackled just short of the line but his pop pass found Tom Cruttenden in support to crash over the line. Tom Morton again added the extras – 14-10.

Matlock should then have managed the game to see out the half but that wasn’t the case as more ill-discipline gave away soft ground and Matlock’s defensive line became stretched with the visitor’s working an overlap to score in the corner. The conversion attempt was again off target but Leicester Forest went into half time 14-15 ahead with the lead having changed five times in a very tight game.

The game remained very tight until the 58th minute when Matlock had possession around their own ten metre line. The ball was moved out wide to Henri Packard who had to check his run to collect the pass, before cutting inside and stepping out of a half tackle before he set off through a gap in the visitors’ doglegged defensive line and then exploded into a mazy run, before side stepping past defenders on three separate occasions and finding himself in space to outpace the remaining defenders to score the most sublime try in the corner. Tom Morton converted brilliantly from the touchline to regain a 21-15 lead.

Again the visitors benefitted from a Matlock transgression and made the most of the opportunity to score another try after a series of pick and drives which came after a driving maul. Unbelievably the most kickable conversion of the day was scuffed wide leaving Matlock with a narrow 21-20 lead with 12 minutes remaining.

With three minutes remaining Matlock had possession on the visitors 22, the ball was moved wide to Packard who again with little space to work in showed amazing footwork to find a gap and take play close to the visitors’ line where Cruttenden and Simon Wright combined for the latter to crash over in the corner for the decisive score. This time Harry Morton stepped up to emulate his brother’s previous conversion from out wide for a 28-20 lead meaning Leicester would have to score twice in two minutes.

But Matlock held on to claim a hard fought but well-earned victory.