MV put one over the Hill (From Messenger Newspapers)

MV put one over the Hill

12:12pm Monday 22nd October 2012 in Sport

TRAFFORD MV travelled to promoted Mossley Hill without a couple of key players and it proved a tough afternoon for the Metrovicks.

MV were flat at the kick off with the home side much the stronger.

Trafford conceded a penalty from the kick and this pattern continued for the first 10 minutes, MV constantly infringing and Mossley Hill applying territorial pressure. The game settled into a tough tackling stalemate based around the MV 22 metre line.

Trafford dealt with the pressure and a good blind side snipe by Eccles and quick pass from Boyle found winger Kingdom with space to run. A good cover tackle from the Hill centre put an end to that and the game settled back into its familiar pattern.

Things worsened for MV when they lost creative centre Garvey to a nasty facial gash. Wheelers normally reliable boot could only be described as wayward, MV were looking devoid of ideas.

The sole scoring opportunities in the first half fell to the respective number 10s who managed to get one kick each, 3-3 at half time.

MV upped their game slightly in the second half, but still a long way from what they were hoping to achieve, Some high tackling from Hill saw an unlucky flanker go to the sin bin and MV took advantage of the extra man through a further Wheeler penalty.

MV were gaining the ascendancy and when Hill lost their second player to the bin Trafford had their tails up. A good run saw Eccles power through three tackles only to get held up just short ,MV prop Sheehan suffered similar fate when, after beating a number of challenges, he was stripped before touching down. Pressure eventually told, and a driving maul from a lineout saw man of the Match Paul Hodgson finally touch down. The conversion gave MV a more comfortable lead of 13-3.

Mossley Hill lost another to the bin as soon as one had returned but still managed to put up a fight, and got one last penalty to secure themselves a bonus point. With a final score of 6-13 MV will take the win to edge into fourth position but know a huge improvement will be needed for the visit of third placed Hutton on Saturday - kick off 3pm