North Walsham 2nd XV 17 v 29 Diss Saracens

Match report –Saturday 28th October 2017,

Diss Saracens travelled to North Walsham on the 1st team bus in a boyant mood having played the week before and beaten a spirited Beccles team. More importantly was that they had not conceded any points in the win and the defensive performance had been decisive in the victory.
The team had a number of changes again but was as strong as the availability and demands of the first team allowed.

The game started well with Diss winning good possession in the midfield and putting together a number of phases, before the backs were released with a fine break by Pickles in the centre, who was well supported by West off his wing, who then returned the ball to pickles who outstripped the defence and scored under the posts. The conversion was kicked by Chenery. Giving Diss a 7pts to nil lead. Unfortunately in the tackle West took a serious injury to his knee and had to leave the field.

This woke up the North Walsham team and they used their big forwards to pick and drive close to the base. The Diss defence was solid with Yager, Garnham, Dunning ,McDaniel, Walker and Bray working their socks off to keep them out. Every time the North Walsham tried to move the ball wide, Pickles and Trede in the centres cut them down. The line speed was good and the space was being cut down. The North Walsham Scrum half was a real threat and his darting runs kept Diss on their toes. The North Walsham No 8 was another good player who was making strong runs and keeping Diss pinned in their own half.

Eventually the discipline broke and from a scrum with Bray having been yellow carded and Diss down to 14 men North Walsham crashed over after a number of drives in the corner. The con version was missed. Diss 7 North Walsham 5.

North Walsham came back again using their tried and tested close contact game. The Diss defence held strong, but the Diss line was broke again and North Walsham scored near the posts and also converted. North Walsham 12 Diss 7

Diss then came back into the game and a mid field interception by Trede on the Diss 10 metre line result in Trede running the length of the field and then being tackled as he went over to score. The ref was unable to see if he had grounded the ball and a scrum to Diss was given.

Diss now back with a full team on the pitch piled on the pressure and were rewarded with a penalty in front of the posts which Chenery converted taking the game to half time. North Walsham 12 Diss 10.

Diss made a couple of tactical replacements,at half time moving Yager to 2nd row in place of Walker and bringing on Coomber for Rackham in the front and moving Silcocks into the back row.
These changes now provided Diss with a new drive and Page ,Silcocks and Coomber were active in picking and driving close to the rucks taking the Diss pack forwards. The North Walsham line out was well organised and winning their own ball easily, and causing Diss trouble on their own throw. The scrums were fairly even, but as the game went on the Diss Pack were getting stronger.

Diss put the North Walsham team under pressure from the start of the second half with good tactical kicking from Chenery, which allowed the forwards to win good ball in the set piece and then using the forwards to drive the ball up the field into the North Walsham 22. The pressure was controlled by Hemmit at scrum half who had a great game, with his tackling and ball distribution outstanding. The pressure was continuous and from near the touch line Bray went over for a try. The conversion was missed. North Walsham 12 Diss 15. Diss immediately from the restart went back into the attack with the Diss backs coming into their own, Goymour was coming into the game as were the wingers Bullock and Miller, all three made good ground, a break by Pickles and off load to Trede, put Trede in for a try under the posts which was converted by Chenery, North Walsham 12 Diss 22.

Diss were now in control with the strong Diss defence knocking Walsham back again and again. Diss with some great open play drove into the North Walsham 22 and the ball was moved to the right then back to the left out wide. A try looked on then a great tackle by the Walsham centre put a stop to that. However the every present Captain and no 8 Garnham, picked up the lose ball and with amazing use of his feet and body swerves, left the North Walsham covering defence in his wake and scored near the posts which was converted. North Walsham12 Diss29.

Diss had completely dominated the second half and North Walsham got a consolation try at the end with their very good No 8 crashing over from short range. The conversion was missed. North Walsham 17 Diss 29 was the final score.

Diss displayed great determination and team spirit and it was the outstanding defensive work that won the day, to a man all 18 players put in a great shift and moved Diss into second place in the league and above North Walsham by a point. That final try from Garnham made the difference. Second team coach Stuart Hudson, said’ the boys defence was outstanding for the second week running. The comms and organisation was excellent. The lines of running in the backs had North Walsham on the back foot and the continuity of play and ball retention, really caused the pressure to build which result in the tries in the second half.’

Stuart Hudson