Skegness 1st XV 0-18 North Hykeham

     Skegness travelled to North Hykeham for a cup game and faced the team at the top of the league table. The weather was terrible, with a biting wind and continuous rain both team had to battle the elements as well as each other. The last time these teams met North Hykeham battled for a draw. With five player changes and two positional changes the captain was forced, again, to play a new look team.
The game was again dominated by Skegness territory and possession. They rarely moved out of the oppositions half. The front row of Stevenson, Brookes and Horner had plenty of scrimmaging practice as the elements contributed to knock ons and forward passes.
The second row of Spiers and Taylor tried to give their front row brethren the platform to build attacks and defending the wheeling of the scrum. Their efforts were compounded as the slippery surface caused problems with the drive.
The back row trio of Cummings, Bignell and Captain Machin all defended the fringes and gave options out wide for the fly half to use in attack.
As the game progressed Skegness moved in and out of the opposition twenty two. They attempted to take the lead with good rucking and open running rugby. Their efforts were met by an aggressive defence. Dropped balls and a lack of communication meant that they could not score any points in the red zone.
A silly penalty near the end of the first half gave the North Hykeham kicker the chance to take the lead. His impressive kick into a cross wind gave the home side a slender three point lead at the break.
Skegness turned round and took the fight to the opposition straight from the whistle. The half backs of Divilly and Pollock serviced the back line and galloping forwards as they attacked again and again.
The centre pairing of Haigh and Nightingale faced an opposition pairing who easily outweighed them. Their tackling was exemplary as they halted wave after wave of attack. Haigh’s numerous runs were met with bone crunching force. Nightingale later had to have treatment for a bleeding head wound.
The back three of Wood, Kyme and Hill all had to deal with high kicked balls and used what preciously little possession they had to make yards and get over the gain line.
Skegness still had to get on the score board to have a chance of winning. Nightingales attempted penalty, to tie the game, just missed to the left of the upright. Two simple errors led to the first try for the home side. A knock on from the twenty two drop out and a kicked ball gave North Hykeham a penalty.
The resulting play forced Skegness to carry the ball over their try line. The scrum was struggling for the travelling team and a number eight move gave the home side their first try. Their second try came from the same source and the conversion saw Skegness facing a fifteen point deficit.
Continued attempts, by Skegness, to get on the score board failed. A penalty late on in the game, confirmed North Hykeham’s progress to the next round of the cup.
Skegness can take heart from this defeat as their play, in general, has improved. The opposition was well drilled and at full strength. Skegness still need to gel, train and play as a cohesive unit in order to win more games. Let’s hope this can begin next week with an away trip to Horncastle.

Skegness 1st XV
Stevenson, Brookes, Horner, Taylor, Spiers, Cummings, Bignell, Machin,
Divilly, Pollock, Wood, Haigh, Nightingale, Kyme, Hill