Caldy promotion push is staying the course

Feb 3 2010 by James Connor, Birkenhead News

CALDY were involved in another nail biting finish when they survived a second half fight back from a strong Leicester Lions pack to maintain the promotion push.

Caldy continued their excellent start to 2010 as they hung on in a tense and scrappy affair despite the excellent conditions with Vasey making the difference with a hat-trick of penalties.

Leicester started the brighter, immediately put pressure on the Caldy defence and were rewarded on three minutes with a penalty kick that was pushed wide by Jon Boden. Caldy cleared their lines and were rewarded with a penalty of their own which was coolly slotted between the posts by Rich Vasey. Vasey doubled his and Caldy’s lead after 27 minutes when he converted another penalty kick despite Leicester having much of the possession but failing to turn it into points.

Caldy’s well marshalled defence kept Leicester at bay and the power and pace of the Caldy forwards with Collister and Ince at the forefront was beginning to take its toll on the Lions. Caldy scored the first try of the day on 31 minutes as Arnold broke through the Caldy back line and fed Kerfoot who touched down in the corner. After a consultation with the assistant referee, Mr Turnill, the referee, awarded Kerfoot his try. Caldy missed the subsequent conversion.

Caldy lost their influential number eight on the stroke of half time with a hand injury after already being down to 14 men with the loss of Woods to the sin bin for persistent infringements. The half time score stayed at 11-0.

Whatever was said at half time by the Leicester coaches did the trick as they came out with all guns blazing and following a period of concerted pressure scored a try of their own when an excellent set of phases found Leicester number eight Valentin Gari out wide and he touched down in the right hand corner. Boden kicked the resultant conversion from the touch line and Leicester were back in the game.

On 64 minutes, Vasey kicked another penalty after a Leicester player was caught offside at the ruck. From the kick off, Leicester powered down the middle of the pitch with their forwards getting the better of their Wirral rivals and with Boden off the field with a blood injury Boshoff kicked the goal. Boden cut the Caldy lead to one point with another penalty for a Caldy infringement on 73 minutes setting up a tense last ten minutes. Leicester then threw everything at the Caldy defence with Steve Cross causing problems but Caldy managed to hold out and when Caldy were awarded a penalty Vasey kicked the ball into touch and referee Turnill blew his whistle for the end of the game. A tough battle between two strong sides that could have gone either way with Caldy glad to take away four points.