I am no Jeremy Saunt, but it’s safe to say it wasn’t a great performance. Ionians travelled north, the performance went west and the East Yorkshire side stuttered to a disappointing defeat.
The visitors made a near perfect start; Will Yates broke up the touch-line to put Ionians to within sight of the line. Billingham were caught cold and conceded a penalty. Ben Smith to touch, Joe Makin up, ball secured and driven on for Alan Hudson to flop over for the opening score. All after a mere 3 minutes. Encouraging.
From here the Ionians’ campaign deteriorated, as did the weather. The rain that was forecast arrived early to turn the game, and the bulk of the afternoon, into a thoroughly miserable experience. Mr Yates did nothing to help.
Before the downpour got to Greenwood Road the home side had managed to sneak in front. Two penalties from Ryan Foreman, on 6 and sixteen minutes, book-ended a period during which Billingham had dominated territory and possession.
The hosts then had Ed Graham sent to the bin and Ionians were gifted an attacking position in the home 22. The line-out lottery failed to pick the bonus ball and a not straight gave Billingham the put-in at a scrum and a chance to clear.
A series of penalties moved play to the other end of the plastic pitch and Ionians’ plight saw Capt. Makin carry the can for the continual infringements, the referee inviting him to join the home hooker in the bin.
Although they initially lost possession at the resulting line-out, Billingham re-gathered and Dan Dixon crashed through the Ionians defence like a rampaging Rhino. Foreman tagged on the extras to take the score to 13 -5.
Fullback Peter Evans returned the re-start kick over the advancing Ionians pack, to be well gathered by his opposite number, Cam. Burnhill. He was stopped in his tracks and the ball flew loose. It fell kindly to Luke Wilson, who scooped up the ball and ran forty yards, unopposed, to the line. Foreman skimmed the conversion over off the crossbar and Billingham were two scores clear, 20 -5.
The rain intensified and there was little open play of any note as both sides suffered under the torrent. As half-time approached Ionians worked the ball into the Billingham 22, they swept the ball right and left without making much headway or suggesting they could breach a solid home defence.
Fortunately, play was brought back for a penalty and Smith went for touch. Ionians secured control and after a brief period of push-me-pull-you the ball was moved out to Smith who slotted the ball through the Billingham backline where it sat up nicely for Lewis Minikin to gather and dot down. He added the conversion to pull the score back to 20 -12.
Smith caught the re-start and banged it 60 yards into touch to bring up half time and the bedraggled players left the field as “Here comes the sun” blared out over the speakers. I trust it was irony because the sky stubbornly stuck to a leaden grey and it continued to piss down.
The only additional points of the match were scored in the opening minutes of the second half and were awarded to Billingham, courtesy of a penalty try. They were pressing the Ionians line and won a penalty. Scrum-half Husband took a quick penalty and darted for the line but was impeded by Josh Britton. Mr Graham marched to the posts and brandished the third yellow card and Billingham took a big step to securing the points.
If the first half was modest fare then the remainder of the match was gruel. Ionians benefited from a number of penalties and had a couple of catch and drives that should have resulted in tries, but a combination of resolute defending, unenforced errors and mystifying decisions prevented any addition to the visitor’s tally.
The sun finally broke through in the last ten minutes and standards improved, (in the play if not the officiating; how can a player in an upright position receive a broken nose and not even attract an enquiry from the officials as to his wellbeing, even when the medic is struggling to supress the flow of blood? *) though neither side looked like fashioning a score. Billingham didn’t need to.
It was a disjointed, error strewn performance from Ionians, puzzling after the fluidity shown in recent weeks, even in defeat. If I brought up as much phlegm as Ionians coughed up possession, I would urgently call the surgery.
George Mewburn was immense, again, on his 101st appearance, buoyed no doubt by the messages he received from his friends and colleagues.
The scrummaging was also impressive against a well cushioned home pack. The unassuming Sam Edwards continues to go about his work industriously, surely a player worthy of sponsorship? The scrummaging was in stark contrast to the line-out, which continues to faulter. Remedial action is required.
In open play it may have been worth trying to run round, rather than through them, though I appreciate the distance involved.
Never mind, there was a very good victory on the adjacent pitch for the mighty Buccs, who deservedly won by the slenderest of margins, 12 – 13.
Next week it’s Sheffield Tigers which is looking like a must win fixture.
* There was so much "claret" it was like the prelude to Boris's Bullingdon club buddies about to assault an unsuspecting pig.