FOUR TRY DARRION HAS A BALL IN BIG ALL GOLDS WIN
BRISTOL ALL GOLDS 46 – 20 EASTERN RHINOS
Christopher Wilson at Oaklands
SUMMARY
A Bristol All Golds club record equalling four tries from scrum half Darrion Ball eased the Bristol side to a comfortable looking 46-20 win over a depleted Eastern Rhinos team. However, they trailed at the interval and only kicked into gear during the opening minutes of the second period.
Looking lively and purposeful, the Rhinos built a two-score lead in the first dozen minutes, winger Harvey Clements finishing some incisive passing moves for both touchdowns.
Adam Turner got the All Golds on the board with a well taken score from dummy half before George Orriss touched down after the All Golds had had two tries disallowed.
The home side upped their game in the second period and turned the 10-12 deficit into a 26-12 lead in just ten minutes as Brandon Lamb crossed and Ball twice sidestepped through to touch down.
After the Rhinos were awarded an eight point try, the All Golds replied through Ball and a long-range Jack Uren touchdown around the hour mark.
The game finished with the All Golds’ Matt Blacker in the sin-bin for a cannonball tackle and Lamb collecting his second try before Ball rounded it all off with a touchdown under the posts.
REPORT
A Bristol All Golds club record equalling four tries from scrum half Darrion Ball eased his side to a comfortable looking 46-20 win over a depleted Eastern Rhinos team. Ball also had a try disallowed but was defeated by the strong cross wind as he missed three of his four kicks at goal.
Chasing a top-four place, the All Golds were desperate to record a win and to build on the fine performance in defeat to the Chargers last week.
However, they didn’t have things all their own way as the Rhinos put up a spirited performance particularly in the first half as they aimed to complete a league double over the All Golds.
It was the home side who started the strongest as they retained the opening kick off and had two sets on the Rhinos’ line. But the visitors survived the onslaught and quickly got into their stride.
Helped by two six again calls from the referee they moved the ball smoothly across the All Golds’ defence and found Harvey Clements unmarked for the first of his hat-trick of tries. Tyler Bedford drilled the touchline conversion between the posts for a 6-0 lead with just four minutes gone.
The ball security so admired against the Chargers last week was completely lacking as the home side frittered away possession with poor handling and decision-making and it was no surprise that the Rhinos were next to score.
The heavens opened, and a fierce rainstorm drenched the two teams, leading to the All Golds immediately coughing up possession. The Rhinos taking full advantage passing crisply to the wing for Clements to score again, Bedford adding the extras.
With a quarter of the game gone, the All Golds finally settled down and began to control possession better. It soon brought rewards.
Strong home defence earned a turnover in good field position and Adam Turner scooted from dummy half to go over for an important try by the posts Darrion Ball began his accumulation of points with the goal.
Ball almost created a try for Billy Hooper in the next set with a neat kick, but the second row just couldn’t reach the ball before it rolled dead.
It was all the home side now and they battered the Rhinos’ line, but it held firm until the half-hour mark when the home side had two tries disallowed before finally securing a score the referee was happy with.
Ball was first to be disappointed as the referee didn’t see him ground the ball before a defender turned him on his back. As the set continued, Greg Hamilton put in a kick that was fumbled on the goal-line by the defence but knocked on by the All Golds prior to touching the ball down.
However, a scrum continued the attack, and directly from the set piece George Orriss strolled over to score an unconverted try and the sides changed ends with the Rhinos holding a slender 12-10 lead.
The home side were straight on the attack after the resumption and Henry Symons was denied a try from a Ball kick to the corner, the referee ruling him offside. But three minutes later Ball’s effortless weaving run took him to the line and Owen Priest added the goal to put the Bristolians in front for the first time.
They almost increased the lead from the restart as good work from Hooper and Jack Uren took play almost to the Rhinos’ line, but Dom Williams was denied a score by some foul play. From the penalty, Brandon Lamb forced his way over out wide for an unconverted score.
Again, the All Golds scored from the restart as Ball took full advantage of an unstoppable charge from Mike Harrison to weave through the defence to score. Priest adding the goal from in front to extend the lead to 26-12.
To their credit, the Rhinos hit back with Clements squeezing in at the corner, the referee awarding an eight point try, but the All Golds responded immediately.
Priest’s spinning, twisting restart kick was a nightmare for George O’Connor who could only fumble it dead for a goal-line drop-out. After Lamb went close, Ball collected his third try, stepping through some disorganised defence.
The Rhinos were beginning to feel the strain as injuries took their toll and they were by this time playing with just 12 men.
Jack Uren was next to score, running away from the defence from just inside his own half after Dylan Thomas had returned the kick off from Ball’s try with interest.
As the dust settled on that three-try salvo, play got a little scrappy with both sides making errors until, with five minutes remaining, the All Golds’ Matt Blacker was sin-binned for a cannonball tackle.
Two minutes later, the All Golds added a little gloss to the scoreline with Lamb catching the defence out by cutting inside on the last tackle and racing to the posts. Then, with the final play of the game, Ball equalled Mason Robbins’ record with his fourth try of the game. Priest added both goals to seal an important win for the Bristol side as they go into a week’s break before a run of four big games against Bedford Tigers, Wests Warriors, North Herts Crusaders, and Hammersmith Hills Hoists.
MatchStats
Teams:
ALL GOLDS: George Orriss; Henry Symons, Dom Williams, Mason Ball, Connor Kendall; Greg Hamilton, Darrion Ball; Mike Harrison, Adam Turner, Dylan Thomas; Billy Hooper, Brandon Lamb (Capt); Jack Uren; INTERCHANGE: Matt Blacker, Kieran Harvey, Morgan Lewis, Owen Priest.
Scorers:
Tries: Turner (19), Orriss (33), D. Ball (44, 50, 60, 80), Lamb (47, 78), Uren (63)
Goals: D. Ball 1 from 4, Priest 4 from 5.
RHINOS: George O’Connor (Capt); Josh Calvert, Kacper Lesniewski, Oliver Lyon, Harvey Clements; Tyler Bedford, Arthur Wildish; Joseph Dakin, George Chisnall, Yamikani Kamanga; Darin Pringle, Peter Garside; Stanley Wong; INTERCHANGE: Thomas Ramsay.
Scorers:
Tries: Clements (4, 13, 58)
Goals: Bedford 4 from 4.
All Golds player of the Match: Despite Darrion Ball’s four tries, the award went to Jack Uren whose powerful running and ability to bump off tacklers made him a threat when in possession. His run from just inside his own half for his try capped a fine display.
Scoring sequence: 0-6, 0-12, 6-12, 10-12, (HT), 16-12, 20-12, 26-12, 26-20, 30-20, 34-20, 40-20, 46-20, (FT)
Penalty Count: 4-6
Referee: Malcolm Holmes