By Stefan
April 16 2006

EARTH TITANS A-TEAM avenged their only league defeat of the season against Harrogate at Claro Road by five tries to two in the final game of their season. They did so in emphatic style, enough to ensure the NCA Northern title.

This was a team victory in which all 22 players contributed.

A remarkable performance bearing in mind that the A-Team travelled to Harrogate with a depleted side, the squad of 22 was made up of 11 Academy under-nineteens, all talented teenagers - seven making their league debuts - who were all eager to impress.

And impress they certainly did.

The young guns defended with a ferocious and disciplined determination throughout the game, the A-Team's defence snuffed out countless Harrogate efforts often out-numbering attackers; their rush defence denying Harrogate space and time.

Indeed, Rotherham's first two tries came out of aggresive defence when the home-side were pressing in the Titans 22. Winger Gareth Morley first got the scoreboard ticking after five minutes with an opportunist try.

Moving up on the home-side's attacking line, he intercepted a pass from 5 metres in front of his own try line and raced a full 90 yards to put the Titans ahead under to posts. Fly-half Tom Outram added the extras to establish an early 7-0 lead against the run of play.

A penalty awarded to the Titans on the Harrogate 22 - awarded for handling in the ruck - presented Outram an opportunity to extend his side's lead that he duly slotted on ten minutes.

When Harrogate returned to the Titan's 22 to resume their attacking endeavours, they no sooner established an attacking platform than talented full-back Gareth Brear repeated Morley's earlier trick!

He pounced on a loose pass hacking the ball up-field, showing the defenders a clean pair of heels he skilfully picked up his own kick and glided under the post to extend the Titan's lead. Outram converted his third kick to make the score 17-0 after fifteen minutes.

Rotherham were now getting on top with the lion share of territory and possession, their attacks produced another penalty on the 22 - given for coming in on the wrong side - on 35 minutes.

Outram converted the three-pointer to further extend the visitor's lead before Harrogate finally got off the mark, just before half-time, scoring a try after moving the ball from left to right and opening up the Titan's defence which failed to cover to go into the break behind 7-20.

Harrogate, to their credit, came out in the second half with all guns blazing.

Scoring a penalty on 41 minutes and an unconverted try on 54 minutes after considerable pressure, they dragged the score back to 20-15 and put themselves in contention. But despite being deprived of the ball for long periods and squandering what little possession they had, the young Rotherham side doggedly withstood the onslaught.

The home-side had the better of second-half possession and territory but Rotherham ripped them apart and effectively won the game with three wonderfully incisive tries in a glorious fifteen-minute spell late in the second half.

The first of which came after a Morley-Brear break down the right flank.

Harrogate fouled at a breakdown giving a penalty the Titans. From the resulting catch-and-drive, the ball was first spread wide left, then wide right back to Morley who burst through three tackles the finish off the move in the right corner on 66 minutes.

His second try of the day increased his tally for the season to eight, making him the leading A-team try-scorer for the 2005-2006 season.

The bench consisting of mainly under-nineteens, who had been chomping at the bit for most of the game, were finally released to make their impact on the game.

They certainly added to the combined efforts of the team. They were instrumental in a Titan's catch-and-drive move from outside the 22.

Driving the ensuing maul a full 20 yards and after three phases of play, the pressure finally told as prop forward Sam Walsh was driven over on 76 minutes to make the score 30-15.

In the dying moments of the game, replacement fly-half Tom Bullough ran a marvellous line onto Gareth Morley's pass for the Titan's fifth try, slicing through midfield and arcing around the full-back for the final score of the day.

Jonny West added the conversion before the Referee brought the A-team's season to a triumphant close.

This victory now places them too far ahead of the chasing pack to be caught, even though six games of their full league fixture list will not be completed.

The Titan's lineout looked classy and dominant, stealing opposition ball on numerous occasions. The pack produced a hard-working performance in the scrums where they were fully tested by a bigger pack.

Speedy flanker Will Crossley, a revelation in recent games, stood out. Dynamic and quick, the teenager from Norwich put in countless tackles and carried the ball over the gain line throughout the game.

A super team performance in which the forwards fronted up against bigger opponents and backs - at times - showed considerable skills on Harrogate's wide pitch to produces a victory to which all 22 players contributed.

A pleasing performance that bodes well for the future, roll-on next season!

Earth Titans:
15 Gareth Brear; 14 Gareth Morley, 13 Charlie Hands (Tom Outram 51, Sam Rogers 75), 12 Will Kirtley, 11 Dave Bolton (Steve Hamilton 70); 10 Tom Outram (Jonny West 51, Tom Bullough 70), 9 Alex Drage (Jonny West 70); 1 Sam Walsh, 2 Jonny Larby (Andy Ross 70), 3 Jon McMillan (Andy Goodwin 70), 4 Danny Collins 5 Tim Maslanyk, 6 Will Crossley, 7 Nick Barrett (Steve Maycock 44), 8 Ryan Burrows.

Titans Scorers:
Gareth Morley (2T), Gareth Brear (T), Sam Walsh (T), Tom Bullough (T), Tom Outram (2P2C), Jonny West (C).