MOSELEY made up for an abomination of a first half with a second-period try burst that earned them a bonus point.
Nov 21 2009 by Brian Dick, Birmingham Mail
Two scores from Charlie Simpson-Daniel, within five minutes of coming on and with his first two touches as a Moseley player, lit up a cold night as did a lovely effort from Rob Thirlby and one from leading scorer Nathan Bressington.
But in every other way their first match of the inaugural British and Irish Cup was one to forget for Ian Smith’s men who, judging by this start, will do well to repeat their knockout heroics this year.
Certainly if they begin against Ulster next Friday as they did here last night. Moseley were 14-0 down in the first nine minutes as a non-existent kick-chase allowed second row Matt Garvey to lumber 50 metres under the posts and Errie Claassens to weave 60 metres for a sublime solo try.
Indeed all Mose had to show for their first half-hour was a Tristan Roberts penalty as Ed Lewis-Pratt converted his own 20th-minute try and added nine points with his boot. The one bright moment of the opening spell came with seven to go when Bressington jinked his way home after good build-up play by Reece Spee and Andy Reay. Nevertheless the 24-8 interval deficit was always going to be too large to haul back.
Especially when they conceded a try 15 seconds after the restart as another Claassens break set up No.8 Tom Brown for the all-important fourth.
Ben Stevenson made it 38-8 in the 51st minute and Mose were staring humiliation in the face.
That they didn’t crumble owed much to the introduction of Gareth Taylor and Simpson-Daniel who sparked a fightback.
First the Gloucester youngster took Roberts’ mis-pass clear after Chevvy Pennycook had won possession in midfield.
And seconds later he showed a clean pair of heels to Greg Evans following Roberts’ impudent break from his own 22.
Just after the hour slick hands down the line allowed Spee to release Thirlby who skidded his way over to cut the lead to nine points.
But Mose couldn’t find the next score that would have set up a nervy finish.
MOSELEY: Thirlby; Bressington, Spee, Reay, Gillick (Simpson-Daniel 53); Roberts, Williams (Taylor 53); Sigley (Harden 78), Oselton (Protherough 40), Harden (Knight 64), Hall, Stott (Evans 64), Wilson (Rowland 53), Pennycook, Rodwell. Replacement: Muldowney.
WELSH: Lewis-Pratt; Shabbo (Woodward 53), Evans, Mackey, Claassens (Thomas A); Whatling, Lewis (Stevenson 49); Boot, George (O’Meara 59), Ward (Horn-Smith 59), Garvey, Powell, Corker, Mills, Brown (Thomas B 49). Replacement: Gotting.
Referee: J Doyle (RFU).
