A game of two halves, very close in the end . .

Published on

This week our colts entertained Bury in the first home game of the season.
With the weather changing for the better, the supporters were out in good voice, hoping for a good rugby spectacle!
In the first half, they did, but it was by an excellent Bury side!! Kirkby were asleep at the wheel for the first half and let in four tries and 3 conversions with no reply. The Kirkby lads were downbeat with their performance at half time. 0-26 down.
However, this group of lads keep on impressing. Coach Barker gave them some home truths at half time, but the lads sorted out themselves after the half baked first half performance. Kirkby came out of the blocks from the kick-off. Turner in the midfield driving the line forward, with Armer and Gore now getting the team on the front foot after some great work from Holdsworth and Harrison. Turner wriggled free of the Bury defence to score. 5-26. Could Kirkby come back into this? Bury came back with some great hands and dynamic running, but with increased line speed and greater intensity, Parry, Muldowney and Barker started to win the turn overs. Hooker Skelton-Montgomery running direct with his pick and goes. After some slick hands through the team, and neat inter play with wingers Hopton and Wray, Tipping found a hole to score. 10-26. Game on! Juggernaut winger Clayton started to drive forward, but was forced into touch, but on-fire Parry won the ball back in the resulting line out for Kirkby to strike forward again, Turner, Tipping and Gore jinking away, Southey retrieved the ball for Hutchings who fed the lightning Ladell who left the flailing Bury defenders grasping at his vapour trails to score in the corner, that’s 2 in 2 for him. 15-26.
Bury continued to take the fight back to Kirkby, but Ridding, Stephens, Willougby and Ogden emptied the tank with furious defending. The Kirkby scrum was dominant winning ball against the head, and pushing Bury back. Armer dipped inside to break the line, Tipping and Turner combined well, and Muldowney and Holdsworth made valuable metres. Then it was the turn of Harrison and Skelton Montgomery, with Harrison just being held up on the try line. Kirkby came back after the drop out, with Ladell powering up the pitch, but a thumping tackle wiped him out and off he went to hospital with a damaged shoulder. Get well soon Will.
Kirkby went through the hands again, this time Tipping feeding the powerhouse Derbyshire to score in the corner. 20-26. Five minutes to go. From the kick-off Kirkby hit back with strong running from Harrison, Willoughby and Holdsworth. Southey zipped in to feed the free scoring Gore to run in the fifth Kirkby try. 25-26.
With two minutes to go the Kirkby lads kept powering forward, but with some clever game management from Bury, the clock was run down. Final score 25-26.
All credit to an excellent Bury side, playing some powerful running rugby. And a big well done to the Kirkby Lonsdale colts for the fight back. Kirkby scored five tries to Bury’s four.
Player of the Match (after coming on at half time) Turner
Wegoagain next week, away to Firwood Waterloo Rugby Club, KO 1230.