Otley 39 Titans 26

Rotherham Titans were beaten 39-26 by a good Otley side on a cool afternoon at Cross Green.

Titans picked up a losing bonus point for scoring 4 tries through Jack Taylor, Zak Poole, Gareth Denman and Matt Challinor, with Lloyd Hayes adding 6 points from the tee.

On paper this fixture looked like being a difficult one for Rotherham and in truth that’s how it turned out as the better side on the day got the result.

Roth started the game in good fashion and despite going behind on 5 minutes when former Titan Callum Irvine slotted a penalty, they soon nosed ahead when Jack Taylor dotted down in the corner following a nice off-load under pressure from Harry Dunne.

Otley however had plenty of energy about their work and soon retook the lead when Irvine knocked over another 3-pointer; it was a lead the home side would never relinquish.

Before the half hour mark the West Yorkshire outfit stretched their advantage with tries from winger Duncan Darling and another former Titan, hooker Luke Cole.

Although coming off second best during this phase of the game, Roth did give themselves hope before the break when skipper Zak Poole showed great power to crash over following good ball retention in the build-up. Hayes’ conversion reduced his side’s arrears to 20-12.

An Otley penalty from Gavin Stead on the stroke of half time meant the home side went in for the oranges with a healthy 23-12 lead.

Realistically Roth needed to score first in the second half to stay competitive in the match.

However, following the home side’s fourth penalty of the game, this time from Irvine, centre Clark Wells effectively sealed the contest with Otley’s third try to make it 31-12.

To be fair to Rotherham they never stopped working and they too picked up their third try on 66 minutes, when prop forward Gareth Denman picked up from the base of a ruck and ran in under the sticks. Hayes’ conversion made it 31-19.

But any hopes of a miracle comeback were soon dashed when Irvine bagged his fourth penalty and Darling ran in for his second try.

Roth did pick-up the bonus point for four tries when in the last play of the game second rower Matt Challinor barged over to score.

Speaking on the pitch after the game, Titans Director of Rugby, Martin Jenkinson said:

“This is a difficult place to come to, it might be the last time we come here with the situation with the ground and Otley are a difficult side to play against.

“It’s clear we are not in a good place at the moment, but we are sticking together, we are improving and we will get it together. We’ll get back on the training paddock next week and work at it until we start getting the results that we want.

“It was a definite improvement on our last performance against Sheffield Tigers; to get 4 tries and a bonus point away from home against a good side is to be commended.

“However, we are still not where we want to be and the boys are still not firing; sometimes it’s difficult to put your finger on why and we’ve got to make sure if there is such a thing as ‘the rub of the green’ that we get it, because at the moment we’re not.”

Referee: Michael Harris

Attendance: 200

Yellow Card: Capps (Titans)

Titans: Taylor (T), Poole (T), Denman (T), Challinor (T) Hayes (3C)

Otley: Darling (2T), Cole (T), Wells (T), Irvine (4P, 2C), Stead (1P)

Titans: 15 Sam Veall, 14 Jack Hedley, 13 Jack Taylor (Ramrattan 67), 12 Harry Dunne, 11 Luckas Sableman-Blue (Rylance 62), 10 Lloyd Hayes, 9 Sam Boxhall, 1 Charlie Capps, 2 Jack Bergmanas (Newborn 44) (Denman 77), 3 Gareth Denman (Sableman-Blue 71), 4 Matt Challinor, 5 Lewis Allan, 6 Marcus Payne (Nwosu-Hope 44), 7 Rupert Kay, 8 Zak Poole (Capt.).   

Replacements: 16 Harry Newborn, 17 Danny Rylance, 18 Theo Nwosu-Hope, 19 Corben Ollivent, 20 Kai Ramrattan.

Otley: 15 Callum Irvine, 14 Duncan Darling, 13 Clark Wells, 12 Gavin Stead (77), 11 Elliot Morgan, 10 Eddie Crossland, 9 Joe Rowntree (Charles Morgan 77), 1 Ethan Thiart (Moss 71), 2 Luke Cole (Gibson 71), 3 Jason Moss (Nicholls 62), 4 Adam Malthouse (Capt.), 5 Brett Mitchell, 6 Ben Waddington, 7 Sam Hodge (Carpenter 67), 8 Brandon Staples (Hodge 78).

Replacements: 16 Ryan Gibson, 17 Billy Nicholls, 18 Ben Carpenter, 19 Charles Morgan, 20 Blake Morgan.

Titans 14 Sheffield Tigers 19

Rotherham Titans suffered a shock home defeat to local rivals Sheffield Tigers, crashing 19-14 on a sunny afternoon at Clifton Lane.

A lacklustre first half performance saw Rotherham go in at the break trailing 13-0 and whilst there was an improved display in the second half, they were unable to overturn the deficit.

Tigers got off the mark as early as the second minute when former Titan Jamie Broadley chipped over the top and collected to run in unopposed from 40 metres, setting a positive tone for his side.

Tigers added to their advantage 10 minutes later when fly half Mark Ireland nailed a 3-pointer after Roth had been penalised for not being 10 metres from a previous penalty.

Then, just after the 20-minute mark matters worsened for the home side when an exuberant Sheffield outfit scored a second try through former Roth back rower Josh Redfern. The number 8 powered over following a catch and drive close to the line.

Roth did try to get on the board before the break, but stout defending from the Dore Moor side ensured that wouldn’t be the case and off they went for the half time oranges with Tigers leading 13-0.

Rotherham came out for the second period a different side, as their work-rate and appetite for the task in hand was elevated.

Remarkably inside the opening 10 minutes they could have been in the lead!

However, a dropped ball over the try-line on 43 minutes and a knock-on close to the line on 49 minutes, both of which would have been converted, left the home side very frustrated.

Titans eventually got on the board in the 66th minute when loosehead prop Charlie Capps dotted down following a series of pick and goes close to the line, following a quick-tap from skipper Zak Poole. Lloyd Hayes converted to reduce his side’s arrears to 13-7.

Now in the ascendancy Rotherham looked much the sharper of the two sides. However, it was Tigers who scored next on a rare excursion into the home side’s 22 when Roth infringed at the breakdown. Ireland stepped up to tag over the penalty to increase Tigers lead to 16-7.

Rotherham bounced back two minutes from time when second rower Theo Nwosu-Hope scored from a powerful catch and drive close to the line. Hayes’ conversion made it 16-14 to set-up a thrilling finale.

However, the great escape was not to be and in injury time Mark Ireland scored his third penalty of the afternoon to give Sheffield a deserved win.

Speaking after the game Titans Adam Byron lamented:

“We are feeling frustrated and we have a problem to solve and that problem is we are playing in a cup final every Saturday. The game last week away at Abbeydale meant a lot to a lot of people and the boys were up for it and they performed.

“To do that week in and week out in these South Yorkshire derbies is a big challenge and it’s tough and at the moment we are not getting it right.

“It appeared, as we got onto the pitch with our first half performance; that would suggest we weren’t in the right frame of mind to start with and that’s something we have to look at and change.”

Referee: Gavin Jones

Attendance: 250

Yellow Card: Challinor & Bergmanas (Titans), Frewin (Tigers)

Titans: Capps (T), Nwosu-Hope (T), Hayes (2C)

Sheffield Tigers: Broadley (T), Redfern (T), Ireland (3P)

Titans: 15 Sam Veall, 14 Jack Hedley, 13 Lloyd Hayes, 12 Harry Dunne, 11 Luckas Sableman-Blue, 10 Corben Ollivent, 9 Sam Boxhall, 1 Charlie Capps, 2 Jack Bergmanas (Bustin 47), 3 Gareth Denman, 4 Matt Challinor, 5 Theo Nwosu-Hope, 6 Callum Bustin (Inman 43) (Bergmanas 73), 7 Marcus Payne, 8 Zak Poole (Capt.).  

Replacements: 16 Louis Inman, 17 Danny Rylance, 18 Alastair Donkor, 28 Cade Cambier, 20 Fraser Jones.

Sheffield Tigers: 15 Greg Mellor, 14 Si Frewin, 13 Barney Goatley, 12 Jamie Broadley, 11 James Norman, 10 Mark Ireland, 9 Ryan Holmes (Capt,), 1 Will Bennett, 2 Will Archer, 3 Nick Bingham, 4 Joe Fitzsimons, 5 Kieran Wain (Townsend 64), 6 Connor Scott (Hughes 60), 7 Tom Calladine, 8 Josh Redfern.

Replacements: 16 Sim Meek, 17 Louis Townsend, 18 Angus Hughes, 19 Sam Wager, 20 Sammy Down.

Photo: Gareth Siddons

Sheffield 14 Titans 39

Rotherham Titans ran out worthy 39-14 winners as they outscored their South Yorkshire rivals, Sheffield RUFC, by 5 tries to 2 on a wet afternoon at Abbeydale Park.

Titans’ tries came from Sam Veall, Rupert Kay, Jack Hedley, Callum Bustin and Zak Poole, with a further 14 points coming from the boot of Lloyd Hayes.

The win maintains Roth’s interest at the top and sees them move up to fourth in the table, nine points behind joint leaders Sedgley Park and Fylde, with Hull Ionians in third place.

The game itself, Titans first league encounter against their near-neighbours, saw the away side open the scoring as early as the third minute, when a Lloyd Hayes kick from his own half was impressively finished off by full back Sam Veall. Hayes narrowly missed with the conversion, but it was his only miss of the afternoon.

As expected however the home side came back strongly as they looked to bloody the Rotherham nose.

On seven minutes an alert Christian Hooper showed good awareness around the breakdown to pick up and skip through unfettered to score under the sticks. Will Hodgson’s conversion put the home side 7-5 ahead.

The next 20 minutes Sheffield demonstrated what a good side they are as they enjoyed lots of possession and match Roth in most departments.

The Lane men did well to keep the hosts out during this period, but on the half hour mark they regained a lead they would never relinquish when back rower Rupert Kay dotted down after a brilliant 50 metre break from Theo Nwosu-Hope in the build-up.

The score seemed to lift Roth’s confidence levels and from this point on they looked a different team as they dominated much of what followed.

On 39 minutes Roth had their third try when a multi-phase period of play culminated in winger Jack Hedley collecting out wide before darting through the Sheffield defence to score near the posts. Hayes’ conversion sent his side in 19-7 to the good.

Both teams stayed out on the pitch for the half time oranges, but it was Roth who started the second period brighter and had the bonus point try secured inside three minutes, when Callum Bustin received a short pass from Zak Poole to dart through under the posts.

Just before the hour mark Roth’s skipper Zak Poole effectively wrapped up the game when he scored from a pick and go on the far side away from the stand in the fast approaching gloom.

Lloyd Hayes added a penalty on 68 minutes before a late rally from Sheffield saw replacement scrum half Elliot Fisher score a deserved try for his side’s efforts.

However, the last word went to Rotherham in injury time, when Lloyd Hayes put over a drop goal to finish things off nicely for his side.

Titans will now reset and prepare for another South Yorkshire derby on Saturday when the Tigers from Sheffield will be the visitors.

Speaking after the game Titans’ Adam Byron said:

Head coach Adam Byron, celebrating a victory against his old club, said: "The conditions were difficult and the ball was slippy. It took us a while to build but once we did we were very clinical with our ball in their area.

"Sheffield had some good possession but on a day like today you don't necessarily want to have the most possession and I'm pleased we kept them to the score that we did.

"I wish Sheffield all the best. I'm glad they're in the league they are. I think this is where they should be."

Referee: Ben Davis

Attendance: 495

Yellow Card: None

Titans: Veall (T), Kay (T), Hedley (T), Bustin (T), Poole (T), Hayes (4C, 1P, 1D/G)

Sheffield: Hooper (T), Fisher (T, 1C), Hodgson (1C)

Titans: 15 Sam Veall, 14 Jack Hedley, 13 Jack Taylor (Dunne 73), 12 Harry Dunne (Ollivent 62), 11 Luckas Sableman-Blue, 10 Lloyd Hayes, 9 Sam Boxhall (Ramrattan 66), 1 Charlie Capps (Rylance 66), 2 Jack Bergmanas (Inman 62), 3 Danny Rylance (Denman 23), 4 Matt Challinor, 5 Theo Nwosu-Hope, 6 Callum Bustin, 7 Rupert Kay (Payne 40), 8 Zak Poole (Capt.).  

Replacements: 16 Louis Inman, 17 Gareth Denman, 18 Marcus Payne, 19 Corben Ollivent, 20 Kai Ramrattan.

Sheffield: 15 Ieuan Cooke (Kimpton 68), 14 Alfie Kimpton (Taylor 40), 13 Ed Vitta, 12 Will Smith, 16 Christian Hooper (Cooke 75), 10 Callum Posa, 9 Will Hodgson (Fisher 56), 22 Jake Hicklin, 2 Ianto Jones (Keeton 59), 3 Thomas Bagnall (Lonsdale 51), 4 Dave Clayden, 5 Dominic Parsons, 6 Robert Fawdry (Hignell 56), 7 Matthew Adcock, 8 Ryan Burrows.

Replacements: 23 Alex Keeton, 20 Aaron Lonsdale, 21 Jason Hignell, 18 Will Taylor, 17 Elliot Fisher.