Hull Ionians 27 v 39 Lymm

I would like to apologise unreservedly to Lymm fly-half Tom Shard, whom I fat shamed in the season review, published on Friday. I also applaud him for a remarkable transformation, shedding 3 stones in less than 24 hours, allowing him to orchestrate his side’s deserved victory at Brantingham Park.
In truth Shard didn’t have to try too hard; the majority of his teams tries were gifted to them and he had a fairly straight forward afternoon off the tee. His distribution brought the best from those outside him and his kicking from hand often pushed Ionians back into their own half and brought relief to his forwards. Please reward him with a fish supper.
Ionians made a promising start to the match. They began with pace and intensity, which augured well, and a characteristic break from Sam Pocklington ultimately led to a try for Ben Stephenson, who dotted down at the back of a driving maul after 10 minutes of play. Lewis Minikin added a well-judged conversion and the hosts were up and running.
Lymm’s first piece of luck came minutes later when Ionians failed to deal with a speculative kick up into the in-goal area. The ball evaded the attention of Jake Boardman and Nathan Beesley, chasing hard in pursuit of the kick, simply skipped past the floundering defence to touch down. Shard did his stuff from the tee to tie the scores.
Ionians then claimed a simple three points from in front of the posts only for Shard to restore parity with a similarly easy goal. Ionians’ early authority was evaporating as the half went on and it was Lymm who were now beginning to dictate play.
They launched an attack from half way and slick hands and good support play put Jack Reynolds over under the posts for a try. Shard was again accurate from the tee to give Lymm the lead, half an hour into the game.
Jimmy McDaniel troubled the visitor’s defence with a break down the far touch but he was mobbed by the Lymm rearguard and neither side really threatened anything until, as half time approached, George Mewburn got into a gallop down the middle of the field. When he was pulled down the ball was swung out to Joe Makin but slow delivery had him receiving both man and ball. Fortunately, scrum half Morris elected to challenge Makin high enough for the referee, Mr Yates, to determine it was illegal and Minikin pulled three points back to close the half, with the score standing at 13 – 17.
Shard put Lymm further in front with another penalty within five minutes of the re-start. Ionians hit back to level the scores when they repeated the mode from the first half, with Stephenson again on hand to finish off a catch and drive and Minikin adding the goal.
Lymm put themselves firmly in charge with three tries in a quarter of an hour. The hosts largess set them on the way; a handling error as the last line of defence tried to tidy up an innocuous kick ahead left two Lymm players deliberating over which of them should gather the ball and score. Pat Jennings took responsibility to claim the try and Shard duly obliged with the conversion.
The visitors took a leaf out of the Ionians scoring book to add a catch and drive try for hooker Rob Makin before Ionians, again, presented Lymm with another scoring opportunity.
The home side were chasing the game but the attempted reverse pass from Minikin was at best speculative. With several of the opposition better placed than anyone on the home side it could be construed as inexcusable, whatever, Lymm gratefully accepted possession and streaked away for Beesley to claim his second try and pretty much guarantee Lymm the points. Shard slightly blotted his copybook with a failed attempt at goal but Lymm were 19 points clear, leading 20 -39.
Ionians mounted a late charge which resulted in a try for James Sanderson, but it was too late to do any good and Ionians’ first game of the new campaign ended tamely and disappointingly in defeat.