4th XV Fight through tough quarterfinal
The 4th XV welcomed Hawcoat Park 2nds to pitch 4 for the Robinsons Brewery Shield quarterfinal last week.
Hoppers kicked off with young Darryl hill chasing and Tackling the receiver who didn’t Know what hit him.
The forwards were driving forward like a rampaging mob, Brown, Shadwell and Jackson all making big hits and runs. At this point the forwards decided to let the backs in on the fun with a pop from Jackson to Elwood and out to the centre partnership of Dan and Danny only to be brought down.
Penalty hoppers with Elwood doing kicking duties 3-0 hoppers.
Hawcoat kicked off with Heath receiving who shipped out to Elwood only to be stolen by the visitors to score a try and convert 3-7 visitors.
Hoppers kicked off and came back fighting with Dr Paul and Jackson securing the ball.
Scrum down Hoppers with Heath George bossing the forwards as he does best and out to Elwood (must have thought he was a forward today) who received at pace taking the ball forward only to be held up in a maul.
Scrum down hoppers no8 Shadwell (Yes, the same Jason Shadwell) fancied it and set off smashing all in his way until he found ground.
With Heath calling jack ball, Duncan brown was there to storm over the whitewash.
Converted by Elwood 10-7 Hoppers.
The visitors were not giving up and attacked from the kick off and managed to chip the ball over to Hoppers try line for young Jay Plummer to scoop up and try to clear with his boot only to be charged down gifting the visitors a try 10-14 visitors.
Hoppers forwards were having none of this and were soon marching up the park doing what they do best, pick and go working around the corner, winning scrums and lineouts as they went.
Substitution, Nathan top knot for dentist Dan in the centres for him to break through only to trip over his own feet.
At this point hooker Baz decided he was going to stargaze after a bang to the head bringing on big Stu Hulse and a change around off the scrum.
Penalty Hoppers 13-14 visitors.
Half time with tactical substitutions of Davies for Joe Alty to flank.
The forwards were soon rampaging up the park with ball in hand for big Dunc to cross for his second try 18-14 Hoppers as Elwood missed the conversion.
Kev spree for Cal foster on the wing.
Lineout hoppers won and soon back on the attack only to have a penalty against them. Only to gift the visitors another 10m for back chat 18-17 Hoppers.
Hoppers came back fighting as this game was going either way only for new boy Chance to be put into touch, Line out lost, and the visitors used it to get another try 18-22 Hawcoat Park.
The 4ths were not giving up with the forwards making ground down the park, young Darryl Hill now playing 8 taking every chance from the back of the scrum only to be held up.
With 5 minutes remaining Hoppers were gifted a penalty in front of the posts Captain Shadwell weight up his options and took the scrum.
It must have been the longest last play ever with scrum after scrum resets and Hoppers pushing forward when the ball came to young Darryl feet this time it stayed for Heath to ship out to a waiting Elwood to score in the corner.
25-22 Hoppers and through to the semi-final!
MOM Darryl Hill and Jake Elwood
DOD Jay Plummer
Special thanks to the 4 lads who didn’t get on the park in such a tightly fought game.
