Glossop Return To Winning Ways On Home Soil

North One West: Glossop 12-7 Kendal

An uncharacteristically warm Hargate Hill took centre stage this weekend with both Glossop RUFC 1XV & 2XV welcoming Kendal 1XV & 2XV for the first time in their history.

With only the mild breeze of lingering disappointment from last week's poor display against Manchester, the conditions were otherwise perfect for some Rugby Union to be played. 

The Hillmen started the more positive of the two sides, through newly reinstated Fly Half Matthew Sonczak who looked to go wide as much as possible and after strong carries from the well-loved and ever consistent David ‘Fine Wine’ Stanley and Hollywood’s own Sam ‘Swayze’ Gibson, they did just that through speedster George Dyson who was looking to get involved early on in what marked his first league start of the season. Glossop were met with dominant hits from the men from “Mint Bridges” defence. 

As has been the case so often this season however, a cocktail of ill-discipline and bad skill allowed Kendal back into the game. The right boot of Kendal Fly-Half, Glen Weightman that Glossop became very accustomed to in the first fixture between the sides started to see more action.

Not to be drawn into a granite Brexit game of rugby, Glossop’s back three welcomed the invitation to run it back with Max Horsfall leaving a trail of destruction behind him on more than one occasion down the left flank. With strong defence on both sides dominating much of the first period, it was looking more and more likely the hosts would enter the break with no side registering a point, however, once more ill-discipline from Glossop in their own 22 allowed Kendal’s Glen Weightman to step inside and create a 2v1 for outside centre Jordan Johnson which was clinically finished.

Half Time 0-7. 

The second half continued in the same manner of the first, with Glossop dominating much of the ball but not being able to get that final pass away when it was needed most. This looked a lot more likely however when young captain Greg Moran hit a lovely line off a tidy lineout move, managed to offload to that man Max Horsfall who was pulled down agonisingly close to the whitewash.  A phase of panic from Glossop led to turnover ball and a fortunate escape for Kendal. At this point it seemed certain that the men in blue would kick on and get a foothold in the game, however Kendal showed real strength in character to play much of middle period of the second half in Glossop territory and it looked a matter of when, not if their driving maul would finally cross the line. After turning down several opportunities for an easy three points, Kendal’s consistent mauling almost paid off had it not been brilliantly held up by hooker Harry Moore. After relieving pressure, it was Glossop’s turn to be the benefactors of ill-discipline in their opponents' 22, after several phases of well recycled ball, everybody’s favourite History and Politics Teacher Sam Wilkinson launched himself across the whitewash for a 5 pointer. Rob Sonczak missed a tricky conversion 5-7. 

Again, it looked as though Glossop would kick on, however, to their credit Kendal managed to keep the ball in Glossop’s half. More bad discipline from Glossop led to more easy points turned down, Kendal insisted on going for the tempting five points through their maul and again they came unstuck as a result of tenacious defence from the Hillmen. With three minutes to go and the ever-vocal 16^th man behind them, Glossop forced a turnover following some fine ruck work from Greg Moran (C), from there, playmaker Adam Mallinson took over, distributing more seeds in the space of three minutes than a garden centre would in its entire history. An audacious but accurate miss-pass from the manufactured blind side flanker found the aforementioned titan David Stanley who through sheer tenacity and grit, set off on a 50-meter barricade through the Cumbrians who could only attempt to bring the great man to his knees. With three Kendal players hanging from him, Stanley produced what the youth would describe as ‘Absolute Filth’ of a chicken wing offload from his meaty left hand to Kieran Wain who crossed the line in aesthetic fashion and Rob Sonczak adding the extra two. With one minute to play, Glossop would look to get hold of the ball and see it out, however, a neat restart led to some squeaky bum time for those supporting Greg Moran’s men. But, they don’t call it the “Blue Wall” for nothing. 

The Hillmen, once again showing why they’re the second best defensive side in the league held out despite some more Stoke City Hard Brexit tactics from the Cumbrians, Glossop held out for a famous victory. Final score 12-7 for Glossop. The 2XV respectfully fell 7-31 on the parallel pitch.

The Hillmen welcome bottom of the pile Carlisle to the Hill next week, where they will look to kick on from the positivity showed on the ball this weekend.

MOTM – Adam Mallinson.