Manor welcomed North Walsham to the New Wilderness this week, a side that sat one place above them in the league. The Manor team showed a number of changes to the side that disappointedly drew with Saffron Walden two weeks ago. Included in the starting line-up were Rhys Davis-Horne and Matt Oaks, both ex-players of North Walsham who now live in London.

Walsham kicked off the match and it was soon apparent that they were fired up for the contest, out of the two teams it was the Manor side that looked affected by a 2 hour coach journey and not the visitors. Manor tried to run from deep but were met by a solid well organised defence that kept them pinned in and around their 22, eventually a handling error resulted in the first scrum of the day. Manor were put under pressure and gave away a penalty in front of their posts. The scoring opportunity was taken and after 4 minutes Walsham led 0 – 3.

From the restart both sides tested the others defence, but Walsham were having the better of the early exchanges up front, they were quicker to the breakdown and more aggressive in their attacking play. The next score soon came when a good break by Walsham’s second row took play close to Manors line and only a good tackle by Max Murray prevented a try. But the visitors pack were quickest to the breakdown, they recycled the ball and after a series of drives by both the forwards and backs, a gap appeared in the Manor defensive line allowing Walsham’s No 8 to go over the line and run behind the posts for a seven point score, after 11 minutes of play Manor found themselves 0-10 down.

Still Walsham bossed all aspects of the game, Manor tried to run from deep but could not make any headway against the visitors watertight defence. Manor were soon in trouble when they had the ball turned over at a ruck, this allowed Walsham to move the ball along the line then chip the ball over Manors defence taking it towards Manors try line. Nick Horton had spotted the danger and won the race to the ball, but he was overrun by the Walsham attackers and without any Manor defenders helping out, the ball was turned over allowing a simple stroll over the line for yet another seven point score. With only fifteen minutes played Manor found themselves 0 – 17 down and in danger of being on the end of a real thumping.

Manor now regrouped and upped their game, they were now competing at the breakdown and winning turnover ball themselves. From just inside their half they turned the ball over allowing Nick Sheppard the Andrew Connors to make good ground taking play over Walsham’s 10 meter line, here quick ruck ball was won allowing scrum half Freddie Newbury to brush aside a couple of attempted tackles then set off at pace towards the Walsham line and despite the attention of the chasing defenders he had the pace to win the 40 meter footrace to the line. The difficult conversion was missed but Manor had clawed their way back into the game at 5 – 17 after 20 minutes of play.

Although Walsham tried to hit back from the re-start Manor soon won a scrum, this allowed Garth Tucker to drive off the back then feed his backs who took play towards the 22. Here a ruck was formed, the ball came loose allowing Manor to hack the ball on towards the line, Murray looked to be winning the race for the ball and a try, but the ref penalised Misiona Evagelia for being in front of the kicker, a clear opportunity for Manor to get another score had been lost.

Walsham used this opportunity to work their way into Manors half where a good backs move culminated in a kick into Manors 22 where the Walsham winger gather the ball close to the line but a thumping tackle by George Harman stopped a potential try causing the ball to be knocked on in the process. From the resulting scrum Manor were awarded a penalty allowing them to clear their line. From the lineout on the 22 Tom O’Connor won clean ball and a rolling maul was set up taking play into Walsham’s half. When the drive was held the ball went out to Connors who again made ground but as the ball was recycled it was knocked on giving the visitors a scrum. Manor won a penalty as Walsham tried to run the ball off the back of the scrum, this allowed the hosts to kick for an attacking lineout.
With the thrown in secured by Oaks, Manor again began to drive the ball forward, when it was stopped illegally and with the ref playing advantage, the ball was spun along the line finding it’s way to Davies-Horne who had joined the attack, he rounded his man taking play into Walsham’s 22, then sent a long pass out to Murray on the wing who had the pace to get over the line despite the last ditched attempt to tackle him on the line. The conversion from the touch line was missed but at 10 – 17 Manor were right back in the game with 35 minutes of the first half played.

Davis-Horne soon turned from try provider to try saver when Walsham again worked their way into Manors half and with quick movement of the ball freed their winger who set off at pace into Manors 22, but Davis-Horne covered across and put in a thumping tackle to halt a promising attack and win Manor a lineout. Again Manor set up a driving maul before the forwards and backs combined well to take play into Walsham’s half where the visitors again fell foul of the ref’s whistle giving away a penalty. Rather than take a shot at goal Manor chose to kick for an attacking lineout. Again the lineout worked smoothly with Oaks winning the ball and Manor driving towards the line. The ball was then shipped along the line where a planned move saw Harman join the attack from the wing and with a couple of decoy runners confusing the defence, Harman looked to be heading towards the line, only to be stopped short by an excellent tackle. Manor were now bossing the breakdown and continued to attack the Walsham line, but good defending kept the hosts at bay until Manor were awarded another penalty. Again an attacking lineout was taken and again Manor drove forwards threatening the try line, but Walsham gave away two quick penalties to stop Manor scoring but Manor continued to kick to touch for a lineout. On the third occasion Walsham again tried to stop the drive illegally, but Manor succeeded in driving over the line where Oaks was accredited with the score against his old club. This time Sheppard was successful with the conversion and as the ref blew for half time, Manor had drawn level 17 -17.

The second half began with neither side having much luck in breaking down the oppositions defence, eventually though Walsham worked the ball towards Manors 22 where the home side gave away a kickable penalty. The opportunity was accepted and after 5 minutes of the second half Walsham had re-taken the lead 17 – 20.

Manor increased the tempo of the game and gradually began to wear down their opponents. From a scrum on halfway Tucker drove off the back making good ground before going to ground and winning a penalty. Horton put in a good touch kick giving Manor a lineout 7 meters from Walsham’s line. Tucker won the throw in and from a planned move fed hooker Alexander Clarke who ran in unopposed to score Manors bonus point try. The difficult touchline conversion was successfully taken by Sheppard, Manor had now established a lead that they would not relinquish, 24 – 20 with 10 minutes of the half gone.

Walsham still pressed and only some stout defending by Manor kept them at bay. Both sides continued to play the game at fast pace and some of the breakdown battles were ferocious, but it was apparent that Manor were now winning more of these than they were losing. The final score of the match came from one such breakdown, here Evagelia won excellent turnover ball then drove forwards before the ball was setup. The ball was fed out to Newbury who, after going one way, changed the point off attack before feeding Horton who put in a pin point kick into Walsham’s 22. Davis-Horne set off after the kick and was first to the bouncing ball, gathering it up safely before having the pace to outsprint the covering defenders and run the ball behind the posts for another Manor try. With the simple conversion successful Manor had now extended their lead to 31 – 20 with 25 minutes played.

Manor now had the upper hand in most facets of the game and with the visitors giving away numerous penalties Manor kept up the pressure by opting to kick for attacking lineouts. Unfortunately the normally well oiled Manor lineout suffered a couple of hiccups close to Walsham’s line which stopped promising attacks, but both Evagelia and Connors went close to the line from some concerted Manor pressure. Again Manor quickly recycled the ball as it was moved out to Ollie Phillips on the wing, but the final pass was not the best and Phillips was unable to hold on to it with the try line beckoning.

To their credit Walsham kept attacking Manor and despite losing their captain to a yellow card late on, they still had the skills to launch one final attack as they strived to earn at least a losing bonus point and from a scrum deep inside their half made a clean break which saw play move close to Manors line. Here the hosts had managed to realign their defences and despite a number of strong drives by Walsham players they were unable to score and their final chance came when they were held up over the line giving Manor a defending scrum. With time up Manor won their scrum and kicked the ball dead to bring an exciting and competitive contest to an end with Manor the victors 31 – 20.

The game had been a great advert for rugby at this level, both sides gave their all and it was to Manors credit that when they went 0 – 17 down, they did not let their heads drop and gradually imposed themselves on the game eventually getting the better of their opponents and taking the spoils.

Next up from Manor is the long trip to Sudbury, who although find themselves at the bottom of the table, have had some notable results of late including a draw with the then unbeaten Chingford, so Manor must not take anything for granted. With some of this weeks absent players again available for the match as well as some fine performances from the second team players, selection will again be interesting.