Lymm 31 v 30 Hull Ionians

The day started unexpectedly, but quite correctly, with new Head Coach Joe Makin and Team Manager
Alex Campbell casting off their back of the bus joking and card games to join the travelling Hull
Ionians Committee at the front of the bus, and very welcome they were too!
Sadly it was not to be a winning start for our new regime.
For periods of this game, we were simply waiting/expecting Hull Ionians to pull away and get the
result. It was a mystery to those watching as to why this never happened and Lymm deservedly went
on to edge the match.
It was a rainy day at Lymm, which seems to be the norm for when we visit Beechwood.
We opened the scoring on 8 mins with a Lewis Minikin penalty, the first of Lewis’s 100%
performance with the boot. This was soon followed by a drop goal from the busy, if somewhat
rotund Tom Shard, who went on to have a very good game for Lymm at fly-half.
Minikin kicked another penalty on 21 mins and then the game came to life with Shard putting in a
defence splitting grubber kick, which was collected by Lymm and Shard was on hand to claim the try,
which he duly converted. 25mins gone and 10-6 to Lymm.
Hull Ionians, who were now clearly getting the upper hand in the forward battle, came back almost
immediately with Ali Forth burrowing over from the back of a good forward drive. Minikin
converted, 28mins 10-13 to I’s.
On half an hour Mitchell came on to replace Morton for I’s and the half continued to be end to end
stuff. Lymm scored an unconverted try by Hand and Lewis added another penalty. Half time came
with I’s holding a narrow 1pt lead, 15-16 and providing reasons to be optimistic…..
The two teams ‘manfully’ saw out the half-time break on the pitch, in the rain, which brought back
memories of yester years.
The early exchanges saw two more tries, with Martin scoring an unconverted try for Lymm and Lucas
Powell adding I’s 2nd try, which was converted by Minikin. 54 mins and 20-23 to I’s.
George Mewburn came off at this point, allowing Frankie Gacoigne to make his debut for the Club.
Frankie duly celebrated this by getting on the end of a line-out catch and drive and scoring a try on
his debut. Minikin converted again, 58mins and 20-30 to I’s.
We thought this was the start of our push for the result but we were wrong. This proved to be our
final score of the day.
On 60 & 66mins we brought on front row replacements, Morton back on for Euan Walker who had a
good game at tight-head and Sam Edwards at hooker for Ali Forth.
Lymm now came back at us with purpose. Lymm’s backs were running decisively and the excellent
Shard gained field position for Lymm to gain 2 penalties, both converted by Shard. It has to be said
that one of the penalties was awarded about 10ft in from the touchline but when advantage was
over ‘Sir’ decided that the kick should be in front of our posts. Strange?
On 75mins, I’s were still winning 26-30 but this lead was proved to be short lived as Lymm again
broke through our defence and Pitcher scored Lymm’s bonus point try, which also proved to be the
winning score. Full time 31-30.

The very hospitable home committee were happy but surprised that they had won. We were a little
shocked that we had lost.
We clearly had the better of Lymm in the pack but, it has to be said that the Lymm backs proved to
be the difference on the day. Try as we did, our backs didn’t make a decisive break all day and I am
sure that we would all want our exciting wingers see more of the ball. Things to work on.
Talking of ‘wingers’, Tom Winch also made his debut for the 1stXV, following some good reviews
from playing in the Buccs. Tom had a sound game and looks to be a useful acquisition.
In Malcolm’s pre season review he noted that Lymm had joined N2N this season by the narrowest of
margins and, at the expense of our good friends at Chester, who were sent ‘West’. Malcolm hoped
that Lymm were worthy! I can confirm that on this performance Lymm are very worthy!