Skipper Neil Mason relieved at Moseley win
Dec 28 2009 by Brian Dick, Birmingham Mail
MOSELEY’S first Championship victory in five matches wasn’t pretty but it could not have been more important for skipper Neil Mason.
The dynamic back row led a spirited rearguard action as the Red and Blacks saw a 16 point lead whittled down to just six as Coventry laid siege in the closing stages.
Reduced to 14 men after Jonny May’s yellow card, Mose were pinned back to their own line and conceded a string of penalties as the Blue and Whites looked to end their own winless run.
But Mason and his men dug in for a precious four points that keeps alive their hopes of finishing their season in the top eight and, the 26-year-old insists, suggests their recent run of poor form has bottomed out.
“That showed our character in the last 20 minutes,” the blind-side said.
“To defend solidly for the last 20 minutes was a real positive. We’d rather not do it but to be able to do it is something to be proud of.
“If we can defend like that I don’t care that we are going up the slope.
“It’s defence that wins matches not attack and if we can do that against anyone in this league we are going to be there or thereabouts.
“It was a vital win. We have had six losses on the bounce and we have targeted the last two weeks for a win.
“Last week was close and this week it’s tipped our way. This might be a sign of better things.”
But Mason knew it had been a close-run affair.
The hosts were out-scored three tries to two, had two men sinbinned – May and Aly Muldowney – and were on the wrong end of a 19-7 penalty count.
And yet again Mose built up a lead and were forced on to the back foot by a gutsy display from a visiting team.
“We played well in the first 20 minutes, we came out, the game plan was working and everyone was doing the right thing, moving the ball playing at a high tempo the way we like to do,’’ said Mason.
“But you have to take your hat off to Coventry. They came out fighting, in the position they are in they came out like nothing was the matter.”
MOSELEY: Roberts; Bressington, May, Reay, Mensah-Coker; Borgen (MacBurnie 56), Pasqualin; Sigley, Caves, Harden, Muldowney (Hall A 62), Stott, Mason, Pennycook (Rowland 75), Rodwell. Replacements: Thomas Y, Oselton, Wilson, Taylor
COVENTRY: Winter (Hayes 76); Frewin (Johnson 58), Apikotoa, Lewis C, Lewis J; Thomas, Walls; Dugard (Maddocks 48), McMillan (Dwyer 68), Hall J, Herrington (Dechartres 73), McGowan (Brenton 52), Venter (Askew 60), Bignell, Carpenter.
