Ionians crossed the Humber to take on Scunthorpe at Heslam Park. The weather was better than expected, Ionians’ performance was not. For the first forty minutes it teetered on the brink of abysmal and was only saved by the standard of tackling, which at least was satisfactory. It needed to be against a lively Scunthorpe side.
The performance was barely above acceptable for the second half, but it was good enough to gain the full five points, after Ionians addressed some obvious deficiencies and then introduced key personnel.
Scunthorpe should have had the points wrapped up by half time, more clinical and confident sides would have, so profligate were Ionians; last week’s opponents would have run up at cricket score.
Ionians started with the wind on their backs but failed to make the most of the advantage. An errant pass fell to the Greens winger and he raced away up the stand-side touch. Alfie Celella recovered and atoned for his mistake with a good tackle right on the try line.
Ionians were penalised as they scrambled to clear and Scunthorpe went for touch. A good catch and drive resulted in a try for second-row, Nick Dyson. Ethan Taylor added the extras for a 7 point lead for the home side.
Taylor extended the lead with a penalty seven minutes later before Ionians finally put together a few phases to get close to the Green’s line. They replicated the home side’s effort with a penalty to touch and a catch and drive driven over for Adam Brankley to touch down for the visitors.
Scunthorpe continued their impressive start, moving the ball well between the pack and backs, and it was only over-eagerness that cost them when a couple of scoring opportunities arose.
Ionians did manage to get into good attacking positions on a couple of occasions but they lost three line-outs in a row, foregoing the obvious front ball and being over ambitious in trying conditions, which allowed the hosts to disrupt play and clear their line.
Right on half-time Taylor accepted the chance to convert another penalty and the hosts went into the break with a very satisfactory lead, 13 – 5.
Ionians could have easily fallen further behind within a minute of the resumption. A clearance kick failed to find touch and was run back at the visitors; the ball came free and was hacked on, with Ionians winning the race to recover possession, almost on the try line, by the skin of their teeth.
Scunthorpe were rewarded for their persistence with a second try, scored in the 44th minute. It was a carbon copy of the first; penalty, touch, catch and drive and Dyson over for his second score. Taylor missed the conversion but Scunthorpe had what looked, at the time, like an unassailable lead, 18 – 5.
On came the cavalry. Ionians introduced the nous of Watts, the experience of Sanderson and the sheer brutality of Mewburn. They also saw the light and moved Kobby Fofie to the front of the line and started to secure possession. Who would have thought it. Ionians looked a different, and better, side.
The reward for the changes came almost straight away. Ionians had a line-out, Fofie caught the ball, the drive went on and “Raw bone” Brankley celebrated with his second try of the match. The conversion was blown off course but Ionians looked to be back on it, reducing the deficit to eight points.
Mewburn (frustrated at being on the side-lines?) carried the ball, along with several of the tiring Scunthorpe side, to put Ionians on the front foot and supporters began to see more of their dangerous back three runners. Cam Burnhill found space to break away up field, the ball ended up in touch close to the home line and again Ionians put Fofie up at two, drove on and Archie Upton was on hand to grab Ionians third catch and drive try. Boring but effective!
An excellent kick from Ben Smith secured the extras and Ionians trailed by a solitary point with the match approaching the final stages.
They took the lead and secured the full five match points a minute later. From the re-start the ball went into touch on the Ionian’s 22. The throw was good and quick transfer allowed Greg Minikin to make the initial break. He picked out Burnhill flying up on the narrow side to take the ball to the home 22, before he passed to Celella for the run-in. The touch line conversion from Smith was true, Ionians led 18 – 24.
There was no further score in the remaining ten minutes, neither side really threatened, so it ended in disappointment for Scunthorpe, who’s endeavours probably deserved more than a solitary point.
Ionians should consider themselves slightly fortunate and may reflect on some of the decisions made before and during the match. Tynedale will be a stiffer challenge. I’ll see you there.