Norwich Union RFC

Sat 22 Oct 2022

Lakenham Union

52 - 28

(HT 0-0)

Woodbridge

Lakenham Union

Woodbridge

Norwich Union 52-28 Woodbridge 22-Oct-2022

Norwich Union continue their unbeaten home run, with a thrilling eight-try haul recording a 52-28 win against Woodbridge. Five of the eight tries coming from the backs who were rampant in the wide open spaces running some great lines Ryan day collecting a hat trick and Shaun Lohan collecting a brace. Craig Dunbar also collected a hat trick with some typically direct and bruising collisions in both attack and defence.

It was Whalebone man of the match Chris Spenceley set the scene from the start with a series of big hits in defence, something he kept up throughout the game.

Union took no time at all to get on the scoreboard, Dunbar scoring his first try in the within 3 minutes, grounding the ball under the posts from the back of a driving maul which was converted by Matt O’Brien, his first of six conversions during the game.

Union added to this on the 12-minute mark, with Shaun Lohan scoring following a break by inside centre Nick Trataris, O’Brien adding the extras.

Woodbridge after a period of pressure in the Union 22m forced a penalty on the 5m line, a quick tap catching the home team napping allowing the visitor’s tight head crashing over to score a converted try to take the score to 14-7 at the end of the first quarter.

The visitors then drew level as a series of forward charges created the space in defence for their number 8 to slide through a gap before dotting the ball down under the posts the conversion levelling the score as the clock approached 25mins.

Union were not done and soon replied through Ryan Day, who following a surge by Craig Dunbar from the base of a scrum on the 22m who popped the ball to Graham Hunt who took the ball on further before feeding Day who scored with O’Brien converting. To regain a 21-14 lead on the half hour.

Day scored again as the half time approached, with Hunt again in the mix as he made a break before offloading to O’Brien who in turn fed Day who stood up the last defender before racing in to score under the posts.  O’Brien converted to take the score at half time to 28-14.

Day completed his hat trick early into the second half, a solo effort from 40m out which saw him both dummy and side-step past would-be defenders, before he dotted down under the post, O’Brien collecting his fourth conversion to take the score to 35-15 on the 45min mark.

Woodbridge were not done and scored their third try of the game, their forward generating quick ruck ball to work their way down the field, scoring a converted try to narrow the score to 35-21.

There was a period of scrappy play with both teams frustrated by the other before there was another score, which came from a surge by Joe Morrell that took him close to the line before being hauled down his offload being taken by Lohan who bagged is brace. O’Brien missing the conversion narrowly, the Union lead stretching to 40-21.

Dunbar who was on a mission during the entire 80 minutes scored two further tries to collect his hat trick the pick of them being a try as he supported a break made initially by Hunt then Lohan, Dunbar rolling over the line to score allowing Union to break the half century to take the score to 52-21.

Woodbridge who during periods put the Union side under pressure were able to score a vital fourth try, allowing them to collect a bonus point from the game at the death, their forwards again breaching the Union defences.

Team: Chis Spenceley, Ben Bond-Webster, Simon Pitcher, Jordan Read, Josh Crosley, Matt Spenceley (C), Matt Cook, Craig Dunbar, Ben Girling, Alex Sinclair, Shaun Lohan, Nick Trataris, Ryan Day, Graham Hunt, Matt O’Brien Replacements: Tom Easton, Joe Morrell, Jay O’Brien

Scorers: Ryan Day 3T, Craig Dunbar 3T, Shaun Lohan 3T, Matt O’Brien 6C from 8 attempts.

Whalebone Man of the Match: Chris Spenceley