105 points, 16 tries, the winning margin a single point and the result determined by a late penalty kick, what excitement! what drama! What indeed.
Each side scored 8 tries, toing and froing the scores with gay abandon through-out the afternoon, but Preston didn’t hold the lead until the 74th minute and then immediately ceded it to a Lewis Minikin penalty, so they will have to be pleased with the two bonus points they secured. Ionians can thank their lucky stars that the visitors were nearly as profligate as they were and just bank the five points that keeps them comfortably mid table.
The match was like a poor TV soap on channel 5. The start was predictable enough but the plot and action became more implausible as the episode went on, with increasingly ridiculous twists and turns culminating in the cliff-hanger ending…Dum,dum,dum,dum,dumb.
The opening quarter of an hour went pretty much to script; both sides obviously remembered the performance and result from earlier in the season at Lightfoot green and Ionians took charge from the whistle.
Early on Ben Smith threw a long pass out to Tom Winch, who looked to have wriggled through a gap to go clear. He was caught but Ionians stayed on the attack and drove over the line, only to be held up.
The drop-out fell to George Mewburn and he clattered into a mass of Preston forwards. The ruck ball was swept across to Will Yates and he muscled his way over the line, close to the flag. Lewis Minikin struck the conversion sweetly off the tee and the home side led 7 – 0.
More good play from the home team put them into the ‘hoppers 22 and Alan Hudson ran onto a short pass at full pelt to bust his way over under the posts. 14 – 0 after fifteen minutes, and all was well.
Ionians certainly thought so and relaxed, which was all the incentive powerful centre Sam Russell needed. He exploited a gap as the Ionians mid-field dithered and galloped 30 yards before using speedster, Tyler Spence, to finish the dash to the line. Josh Ree converted to halve the deficit and give some confidence to his team-mates.
Emboldened, Preston launched another attack. Skipper Harry Holden was popping up all over the field and he was heavily involved in the forward effort that drove ‘hoppers into the Ionians red zone. Good hands swept the ball across field for Sam Freeman to squeeze over close to the flag. Ree’s effort fell just short but the visitors were within two points, 14 – 12, with barely quarter of the game gone.
Back came Ionians. They worked the ball up to the line, only for a poor pass to allow ‘hoppers to hack the ball up field. It fell to Minikin, who tidied up the loose ball, stepped inside his marker and went to ground.
From the base of the ruck Sam Pocklington picked out Cam Burnhill and he ghosted his way through to the posts, smooth as you like. Minikin’s kick put Ionians 21 – 12 in the lead after 25 minutes of play.
Within a couple of minutes, Ionians, and Burnhill, were back again. George Mewburn, again, bulldozed his way through half the ‘hoppers side allowing Burnhill the space to show more of his silky skills as he raced over for the bonus point try. Minikin added the extras to extend the lead to 16 points.
28 minutes gone; 28 points scored and Lewis Minikin achieved a personal milestone of 300+ points for the season with his conversion. Ionians seemingly firmly in the driver’s seat. Time for a twist in the script.
Preston kicked a penalty into touch to within 10m of the Ionians line. They took the throw and rolled on before winging the ball across to Russell who brushed a couple of tackles off and set Freeman away for his second score. Ree added the straight forward conversion and ‘hoppers cut the gap to 9 points, 28 -19.
To make sure folk came back after the break there was just time for some more “drama”.
Ionians had the ball on half-way and were looking to move play down the far touch. Under no pressure whatever, a pass was sent across field; unfortunately, DHL had notified Spence of the time of arrival and he was ready and waiting to take delivery. Off he went on an unaccompanied sprint to the line. Ree’s successful kick brought the ad. break with events delicately poised at 28 -26.
A concerted forward effort at the start of the second half brought reward for Ionians and Josh Thundercliffe, who barged over from close range but Preston wouldn’t be shaken off and they hit back with Holden and Russell heavily involved as they pummelled their way to the line before Rory Brand sniped his way over to keep on the home sides coat-tails. Both kickers were on point, so although the score board ticked over the gap remained two points.
In the ten minutes leading up to the hour Ionians looked have put clear water between the sides with two unanswered scores. The first one was so easy. Clean line-out ball went from Pocklington to Smith, Smith threw a long pass to Minikin who ran outside his opposite number before popping a neat pass to Burnhill. He straightened his line and cut past two Preston players, when he was caught he fed on to Winch, who stepped inside the cover and dotted down close to the flag.
The second try had an element of good fortune, in that Preston were in possession and threatening to run clear. Only the timely intervention of Pocklington prevented ‘hoppers gaining parity. He got his hands on the ball but was running in the wrong direction. He was able to twist in mid stride and put in a kick that cleared the close defenders and fell kindly for Will Yates. Yates had plenty to do but was able to see off the chasers on a fifty-yard race and dive over for his second try of the match.
Hopper’s, however, were not ready to give in. Second-row, Ellis Causey, went galloping away on a 30 yard run, arms and legs flailing like a demented giraffe. He was eventually taken down but the ruck ball was moved smartly onto Izaak Gosling who ran in for a try.
The score was 45 – 40 with fifteen minutes to go. Preston’s need, ambition and belief looked to be trumping Ionians’ pride, commitment and determination but class will out and the games outstanding player, Cam Burnhill, stepped up once more with a telling break that set Minikin up for a try.
Surely a 10 point lead with just over 10 minutes to play should be enough? Hoppers didn’t think so. Both sides brought on the “finishers” and it was nearly the end of Ionians.
Preston fullback Ree turned the final ten minutes into a one man show as he bagged a brace of tries, but crucially he was only able to convert one of them. However, his efforts put Preston in front for the first time in the match, 50 – 52, with five minutes to go.
Hoppers pressed for a further score and looked capable of achieving their aim. Their enthusiasm got the better of them and they were penalised at the breakdown. Ionians had the National leagues top points scorer in Lewis Minikin and he duly converted the penalty to give the hosts a vital one point lead that they nursed to the final whistle.
There was a definite end of season feel to the game. There was some good attacking rugby from both sides but you would expect better tackling at this level. Often enough players were sticking an arm out as if they were hailing a bus.
It remains very tight at the bottom of the league, fortunately not something I’s have to worry about.