Sat 30 Nov 2024, 14:15
Date: Saturday, 30th November
Venue: Earlsdon RFC
Earlsdon hosted Birmingham & Solihull on a cold Saturday afternoon, looking to build on their recent success against the league leaders. However, the home side struggled to find their rhythm in the early exchanges, with a series of unforced errors making for a frustrating first half.
Despite the slow start, Earlsdon managed to break the deadlock with two quickfire tries from Dyal and Fitzmaurice, both expertly converted by Tague. These scores settled the nerves and provided a platform to build upon. However, the away team stayed in contention, capitalising on further errors to score a well-worked try of their own, ensuring a tight contest going into the break.
The half-time whistle arrived at the perfect time for Earlsdon, allowing the team to regroup and refocus. After some choice words in the huddle, the home side came out firing, delivering a dominant second-half performance that left Birmingham & Solihull with no answer.
Earlsdon ran in over 40 unanswered points, with tries coming from Mauch, Haywood (J) with a brace, McCraner (C), Walsh, and a second from Dyal to cap off an emphatic display. The team’s superior fitness and clinical execution shone through, and the dominance of the pack provided a solid platform throughout the second half.
After the match, Coach Jon Fitt reflected on the performance:
"It was always going to be difficult to rise to our levels after beating the top of the league in the last game. However, if we are going to maintain success, we need to work that out, and it starts in training."
This performance demonstrated Earlsdon’s potential when firing on all cylinders. While the first half display highlighted areas for improvement, the second-half response showcased the team’s ability to dominate when they play to their strengths.
Score: Earlsdon RFC 57 - 5 Birmingham and Solihull
Man of the Match: Jack Tague
