Kestrels 26 Morleys 2nds 27

A much changed Kestrels team assembled at Moorend for a keenly contested local derby with Morley today, Morley emerged with the victory in a terrific contest by a single point.
Kestrels were missing several regulars through injury, unavailability and suspension. Matt Wood started the game in the second row, Will Denham was at hooker and the versatile Tom Breakwell started the game outside half with Danny Archer at 9. Eliott Whetham was due to start at full back but he had to withdraw with a torn sock in the warm up.
Morley started the better and took the lead on 3 minutes with a penalty goal and extended the lead further with a well taken try on 13 minutes after Kestrels failed to find touch with a defensive clearance and Morley swept down the left wing to score 0-8. This deficit stung the Kestrels into action, a driving maul saw Wade Laycock get over the line but the Referee deemed there were Morley hands under the ball so the try was disallowed. Moments later , Veron Dhesi chased a kick ahead and was only denied when the dead ball line got in the way. Jack Wood on the opposite wing showed great pace and was unlucky on several occasions when desperate tackles were made when he looked to be going clear.
On 17 minutes, Steve Noble controlled the ball well from a scrum 10 metres out to touch down , Tom Breakwell missed the conversion 5-8.
Morley were attacking down the right but the Referee pulled play back for an earlier offence and Steve Noble had to leave the field with a shoulder injury after what appeared to be a tip or spear tackle. On 29 minutes, Kestrels won a penalty 5 metres from the Morley line, Wade Laycock drove the ball in and was followed by Mick Dixon trying to clear out the ruck but he sustained a nasty looking injury in the process and also had to leave the field. Will Denham followed up and touched down for the try, Breakwell added the goal to give Kestrels the lead at 12-8. On 36 minutes, Morley regained the lead squeezing in near the right corner for their 2nd try, conversion was well short 12-13.
The final move of an absorbing first 40 minutes saw Kestrels score a 3rd try in similar manner to their 1st, a scrum was shunted forward, this time Ben Etchells controlled the ball at the base and he touched down with Tom Breakwell adding the goal 19-13 at half time.
Morley came flying out of the traps at the start of the second half and scored a breakaway try under the posts with a simple conversion and Morley were back in the lead at 19-20. Kestrels had a 30 metre penalty goal attempt but Tom Breakwell struck the upright and from the rebound, once again, Morley broke away to score a length of the field try, conversion was good and Morley led 19-27. Kestrels were going to have to dig deep to pull this game out of the fire .
For the next 20 minutes or so , Kestrels did just that . They laid seige to the Morley line which just about held firm, 2 penalties were awarded to Kestrels inside the Morley 22, twice the ball was kicked to the corner and on both occasions it found touch in goal and the chance went begging, with hindsight , maybe the better play would have been to take the scrum option as the Kestrels pack, but even when depleted by injury was dominant throughout. Josh Clough carried strongly as did Wade Laycock and Henry Iwanjeko , eventually on 75 minutes , Ben Etchells broke through to score a try converted by Tom Breakwell 26-27 and a grandstand finish in prospect. Sadly , Morley held on under extreme pressure for the win and Kestrels proud unbeaten record had gone. They picked up a try bonus and a losing bonus point from the game , a very enjoyable local derby played in the right spirit.