Middlesbrough suffered another defeat at home this weekend, as they continue to grapple with significant injury woes. Boro were yet again forced to shuffle the team with Brendan Hill moving to centre, Aedan Moloney continuing to fill in as number 8, and the recently retired Adam Marron drafted in to play flanker. The reshuffled back row was bolstered with Joe McNeil as a finisher. Josh Lynas’s calf injury flared moments before kickoff, moving Paddy O’Brien from the second row to prop, supported from the bench by James Hayes. Rio Davies slotted in to lock next to Ali Lang. The changes were not enough to contain a powerful performance from Driffield’s pack, who claimed a 19-33 victory.
Driffield struck early, with a huge driving maul pouring over the Middlesbrough line for an early try. The successful conversion pinged over off the post (0-7). Capitalising on the pack’s mismatch in size and strength, the visitors sensibly kept the ball with their forwards and a well-coordinated maul saw Driffield force their way over for another converted try (0-14).
Middlesbrough fought back, battering the Driffield line with heavy carries from the likes of Hill, Moloney, Marron, Jack Cook, Elliot Ward and Joe Sawdon. A pinpoint lineout by Sawdon, with an excellent take in the air by Davies, saw the ball recycled through phases, landing with Boro’s man of the match, scrum half, Jack Jeffers who threw a dummy and cut through the Driffield line for a try. Hill converted (7-14).
Driffield reasserted their dominance in the pack, but the Boro defence held firm under considerable pressure until the visitors won a scrum 15 yards out. Driffield went down the blindside, feeding the wing, for a try in the corner. From the kickoff, Driffield immediately scored again. From the base of a scrum on the centre spot, the Driffield number nine ran around the flanks and cruised unopposed 50 yards down the pitch for a converted try, and a half time score of 7-26.
Driffield’s dominance up front continued in the second half, yet Boro, with quick ball in hand, were impressive when able to secure possession. With line breaks from Harry Bryce and with the visitors conceding repeated penalties, Middlesbrough’s tap-and-go tactics reaped dividends. Moloney took quick ball and spun it wide. Captain, Jack McPhillips collected the bouncing ball, setting up a series of gain-line crashes and breaks. Boro’s slick clearouts and efficient recycling ultimately resulting in a well-earned try for Ward whose straight running and strength carried him, and a couple of Driffield forwards, over the line (12-26).
Although Driffield’s scrum power provided the platform for another converted try (12-33), Boro had a boost when Sam Gaudie returned to the pitch, following several weeks out with injury, as a substitute in the closing stages, replacing fly-half Rob Carney. Another impressive series of crash-balls, clever retention and speedy recycling drove Middlesbrough forward, threatening the visitor’s line. Gaudie drew his man and popped the ball to Hill on a clever line, to crash over for a wonderful team-try (19-33).
Boro looked like they would score again and earn a deserved four-try bonus point when a beautiful chip from Gaudie was collected in mid-air by Luke Roche, who broke his tackle and passed to McPhillips, however, the pass was ruled forward, leaving the final score at 19-33.
Boro Coach, Ollie Hodgson lamented the defeat, but paid tribute to the team’s dedication, ‘I can’t really knock the lads. A lot of them have stepped up and played out of position for the team. We have had a ridiculous number of injuries and unavailability during this block, which hasn’t helped with things on the pitch. All the lads are looking forward to a well-deserved break this weekend.’
