Fixture

Pre-season Friendly

Oakdale 24  CRUMLIN 26

In their first outing since completing The Treble last season a heavily depleted Crumlin made the very short trip up the Kendon Hill to visit neighbours Oakdale in a 7:15 KO Tuesday evening KO. With at least 8 senior squad members unavailable, Crumlin had a number of players in unaccustomed positions and gave debuts to Adam Haddrell, Ashton Gaylard and Zak Giffiths. In addition, with only one coach available, Gethyn "Pony" Hockey stepped up for his first taste of coaching. This was going to be a big ask for the team playing in Division 5 last season against Division 2 Oakdale.

Ten minutes in and there was a great contest at the scrums with both sides gaining and then holding their own.  As usual Gavin Spence, Tyler Madden-Smith and Dan Lewis were in solid and powerful form.  Indeed all three not only performed to their usual unrelenting scrummaging skills but were to show their abilities around the field throughout the game by carrying and passing superbly on a number of occasions. From his own 10 metre line Number 8 and Captain Kyle Walton picked up and was off at real pace.  He fed centre Cole Jones and from Oakdale's 10 metre line Jones passed to his fellow centre Scott Barnes. Barnsey beat his opposite number and turned on the afterburners to out pace any other defenders with Taylor Smith in very close support. Barnesy registered Crumlins first try of the new season.

Oakdale 0  CRUMLIN 5

Just four minutes later and it looked like Crumlin may be on for a special evening as from an overthrown lineout Corey Strickland at 10 set his backline away. Dylan Foxwell was in from the opposite wing and this time Barnes gave the ball back inside to Foxy, who broke the line wide open and then, in a perfect one two, Foxy gave back to Barnesy for him to draw the last man.  He timed the pass perfectly to send over full back Ryan Lewis.  Lewis went over under the posts and Barnesy nailed the extras.

Oakdale 0  CRUMLIN 12

For almost the rest of the game Crumlin then fell foul of the new tackle rules.  Oakdale went into the corner but Crumlin held out in their own 22 for a solid 10 minutes.  The defence was incredible with big hits from Gav Hipkiss, Madden-Smith, Walton and flanker Euan Lewis denying Oakdale time after time.  After shear graft and continuous pressure Oakdale somehow got through and got their first try.

Oakdale 5  CRUMLIN 12

Lloyd Davies and Hipkiss were immense in the second row on the evening. They lent the weight that kept the scrums solid and worked superbly in the lineouts with Euan Lewis to win numerous balls against the head and force errors which stopped the momentum Oakdale gained with so much of the possession. Both locks tackled relentlessly and were also excellent whenever Crumlin had the ball. A Hipkiss interception late in the second half which took his team fully 50 metres up field typified their efforts.

With such overwhelming possession Oakdale managed a second before the end of the half to tie things up.

Oakdale 12  CRUMLIN 12

Kian Chess made a very welcome return from injury at hooker. Kian hadn't taken the field since Christmas but an incredibly quick recovery from a big operation saw him make his customary big carries alongside the excellent Captain Walton. However, the team just could not string together more than 2 phases.

Fifteen minutes in and Oakdale got their 3rd, which went unconverted. Rhys Hipkiss came on followed by Daf Clissett.

Oakdale 17  CRUMLIN 12

With fifteen to go stunningly Crumlin went up the field and were brought down just short. Steele Jones at scrum half was having a great game with hardly any attack opportunities but managed to make some telling breaks and was a nuisance in defence.  Steele fed Strickland at outside half and with a 6 to 1 overlap 15 metres out they were pulled back for backchat. It just wasn't going to be Crumlin's day. This was reaffirmed as the Oakdale fullback chipped from half way and the defence could not prevent him scoring an excellent individual effort which was also converted.

Oakdale 24  CRUMLIN 12

So, 5 minutes left and the game was gone. Or so it seemed as Steele Jones had other ideas and from a sublime break threw a long pass out to Kyle Walton, who beat the defence to bomb down the wing into the corner and then had the presence of mind to go around under the posts. Ryan Lewis added the extras. The score looked a lot more respectable now.

Oakdale 24  CRUMLIN 17

Then the unbelievable.  Crumlin made another searing break and looked to be over, but the ball didn't go to hand from 5 metres out and Oakdale cleared to touch. A 5 metre lineout and Oakdale naively decided not to compete and stood off hoping that they would get a penalty as Crumlin bound together. Chess threw in to Big Gav and the nowse of the forwards saw them not bind together but Gav charged forward and was agonisingly short only for the perfect ruck to be formed and Steele Jones passed to the brilliant Cole Jones who danced past the defence to dive in. The travelling support went wild as the game was tied up at 24-24 with the kick to come.

Left footed Ryan Lewis stepped up and kicking off a training cone from the right-hand side hit the left upright decisively on the inside so that ball went over and that was it!  Players, supporters and coaches were elated.

Oakdale 24  CRUMLIN 26

Captain Kyle Walton and veteran lock Big Gav Hipkiss were rightly selected as the men of the match although every player in the THE MIGHTY CRUM squad deserved huge plaudits for their determination and how they stepped up. Cole Jones' try was his 100th point for the Club. This win against a Division 2 team will hopefully be the start of another enjoyable season.

The next pre-season friendly sees the Treble Winners head to South Glamorgan and Division 5 East Central team, Old Penarthians.

#UPPACRUM 

SQUAD

1. Gavin SpenCer

2. Tyler Madden-Smith

3. Daniel Lewis 

4. Lloyd Davies

5. Gavin Hipkiss

6. Euan Lewis

7. Adam Haddrell

8. Kyle Walton (Captain)

9. Steele Jones

10. Corey Strickland 

11. Taylor Smith

12. Ryan Lewis

13. Scott Barnes 

14. Dylan Foxwell

15. Ryan Lewis

16. Rhys Hipkiss

17. Kian Chess

18. Ashton Gaylard

19. Zak Griffiths

20. Daf Clissett