Reserves Match Report: Fev v Wakefield

Fev v Wakefield:
Teams and Scorers
Reserves Competition
Round 3

Fev Reserves v Wakefield Trinity Reserves: Wednesday April 3rd

This was the third match in the Reserves competition for our lads and on paper looked a difficult task for them, especially as the Wakefield side included Jordan Baldwinson and Luke Hooley. Jordan provided huge experience compared to any of our team.

Fev looked to have scored as early as the 5th minute when a little grubber from Morgan Punchard was grounded but the referee ruled that it was offside.

Four minutes later Wakefield were attacking the Fev line and looked certain to score but a knock-on saved Fev.

After 13 minutes Spencer Darley barged over the line but was held up but in the next play good handling saw the ball spun along the line allowing Nathan Wright to get in at the right corner and an excellent conversion from Morgan Punchard saw Fev 6-0 up.

Wakefield hit back only four minutes later when Jordan Baldwinson broke the tackles to go under the posts and the scores were level.

It looked ominous when Wakefield scored two further converted tries (Jay Haywood-Scriven and Luke Hooley) in the following 8 minutes to give them a 12 point lead of 18-6. Between the tries Fev had had some good field position after Wakefield had failed to gather a kick but Fev were unable to pierce the Wakefield line.

Just a couple of minutes after the third Wakefield try, Fev were given an opportunity when Trinity knocked on and the penalty was awarded after a Wakefield player disputed the decision. Fev couldn’t get over the line in that set but quickly forced a second set in the Wakefield twenty and Ben Blakeston scored with Punchard again converting to bring the score to 12-18.

It was looking as if that would be the half-time score but on the 38th minute Gwaze burst a tackle on the line rto score Wakefield’s 4th try which was converted to restore their 12 point lead.

HALF TIME: Fev 12 Wakefield 24

Shortly after half-time some good line defence kept Wakefield out and even though they forced a drop-out the Fev defence held firm.

After 50 minutes Fev produced some lovely handling down the left and Jimmy McDaniel turned inside at pace to score. Morgan Punchard’s conversion hit the post - the only conversion attempt by either side to fail in the whole match.

The score was now 16-24 but only two minutes later Wakefield extended their lead again to 16-30. Fev fumbled the Wakefield kick-off to give Wakefield a scrum 15 metres out and this time the defence couldn’t hold the Wakefield attack when a good off-load put Tom Ashen in.

It would have been so easy for the young Fev team to have caved in at this point but there is real spirit in this group of lads. That spirit was typified by a great run from Spencer Darley who broke several tackles before going under the posts in the 56th minute. 22-30.

Four minutes later and a Morgan Punchard grubber bounced back off a Wakefield defender for Fev to regather and swift movement along the line got the ball out to Jimmy McDaniel whose nice side step created his second try which brought the score to 28-30.

There was then a period of strong Fev dominance when they managed to create 4 sets in the Wakefield 20 but three times Fev players were held up over the line before the pressure finally told with another Punchard kick which Wakefield were unable to take in and Bradley Wright scored.  Punchard’s conversion put Fev 34-30 ahead. The first time they had been in the lead since the 18th minute of the game.

Wakefield’s kick off was allowed to go into touch putting Fev straight back on defence and Wakefield were back in front, 36-34,  after 70 minutes with a try from prop forward Jacob Jones.

But even then Fev weren’t going to give in and in the 75th minute a beautiful jinking run from Morgan Punchard saw him score a try under the posts and his conversion restored Fev’s lead at 40-36.

Fev still had work to do as with two minutes left Wakefield were attacking the line but excellent goal-line defence kept them at bay and there were jubilant scenes as the referee brought the game to an end.

fevnut’s Man of the Match: Morgan Punchard