NOMADS SHUT OUT CALNE 26-0 IN HARD-FOUGHT WIN!

The Calne 1st XV was soundly beaten by a rampant Marlborough 1st XV last week in the match that clinched the Dorset and Wiltshire (North) Division 1 title for Marlborough.  It should have come as no surprise, therefore, that the Calne 2nd XV might come looking for revenge this week!  The weather was ominous and the warm-up was a very damp affair; the surface of the pitch and the pouring rain proving treacherous.

It was obvious from the kick off that Calne meant business!  Theirs was a much larger pack and the Nomads’ forwards spent much of the first twenty minutes going backwards in the mud.  And yet there was no question of them giving in!  In spite of having to deal with a giant and skilled back row, the Nomads defended well; as Kevin Clancy was heard to say – “It’s all about defence boys; and I love defending!”  The second row pairing of Shaun Anderson and Jack Lynd was instrumental in keeping the Nomads’ scrum together under pressure.

What became apparent was the great strength in the Nomads’ back line; Alex Cox, Barney Hunter and Jacob Coplestone let nothing through the middle all afternoon and were immensely strong with their support play, too.  Scrum-half Nick Parkinson-Hill played a stormer at the back of the scrum, ruck and maul and made the very most of what little good, clean ball the forwards could deliver.  The first half-an-hour was a brutally attritional battle in which neither side could gain an advantage, although the Nomads probably had the best of the open play and kept the pressure on the Calne forwards.  It was thanks to this pressure that errors crept into the Calne game and, at a messy line-out well inside the Calne 22, the Nomads took advantage – Lynd crashing through, spoiling the ball and touching it down for the first try of the game and his first try for the Club!  In the driving rain, Cox just missed with the conversion, but a 5-0 lead had been established after 35 minutes.

Calne seemed to falter and the Nomads pressed home the attack.  Less than five minutes later, in an absolutely blinding bit of running, passing and support play, Max Ansell was put over in the corner and made the best of his speed to loop round and touch down under the posts.  Cox was deadly accurate this time and the whistle went for half-time with the Nomads leading 12-0.  As soon as the second half was underway, it was apparent that Calne’s first half faltering could be exploited further, especially amongst their backs where they were less strong.  Fred Somerset cut a beautiful line from his position at fullback and took a neat pass from Adam Dobie (back from injury) to score after just one minute!  Again, Cox added the two points.

The weather had not improved, although things were looking a little brighter for the Nomads’ forwards.  Calne had had to make some replacements due to injury and the scrums were more equal duels.  This allowed Clancy at Number 8 and James Williams at open-side flanker to exploit around the edges to give Parkinson-Hill and the backs even better ball.  True to form, they made the most of it and, about ten minutes later, Coplestone crossed to score, again under the posts, after a great run down the right.  Cox added two more – taking his tally for the Nomads to 102 points this season!

After a final flurry of activity, Anderson was unlucky to have a well-worked forwards’ try disallowed, but by then the damage was done and the final score was a very creditable 26-0.  Calne had been kept at bay; their big forwards prevented from making any ground in a brilliant defensive battle by the Nomads who, in spite of their inferior size, stopped even the most determined pick and drive moves.  Once their forwards effort was marginalised, Calne showed little or no prowess in the backs – a weakness ably exploited by the Nomads’ backline to devastating effect.  Lynd was rightly awarded the Man-of-the-Match accolade for his efforts, but special mention must also go to those who stood on the sidelines; it is rare for the Nomads to have substitutes and rarer still that not all of them could be used.

The Nomads retain second place in the Dorset and Wiltshire (North) Division 3, but are hotly pursued by Trowbridge.  Three more ‘must win’ games are on the cards; the next is at home on the Common on Saturday 17 April against Supermarine, currently in fourth position.  All supporters are welcome!