Match Report - Midlands Hurricanes 22-24 Cornwall RLFC

A last minute Choughs try denies the Canes consecutive wins

On the back of a huge result against Workington Town at the Fibrus Community Stadium the week before, the Canes welcomed the Choughs to the Alex just a month after the home side's historic 72-6 win at the Memorial Ground, the first of four consecutive home games (with Newcastle, North Wales and Keighley to follow respectively). Head Coach Mark Dunning had warned in his pre-match interview that Cornwall would be heading to Birmingham for revenge, and he certainly wasn't wrong.

Despite Mark's warning, three minutes into the game it looked like the Canes might be able to emulate the result in the Duchy as winger Jason Bass made a break through the middle during our first and ran 40 metres before passing to an over-running Jake Sweeting, meaning Bass' pass was called back for being forward. This early scare clearly woke up the visitors as they ended up being the first team to score just four minutes later as a high bomb from Cornwall was not dealt with by Jason Bass, and off the resulting scrum centre Tom Ashton used his huge frame to crash through the Canes defence and score early in the set (0-4). Cameron Brown added the extras from the left of the posts (0-6).

After about ten minutes of back-and-forth, it was the Canes who began to take control of the first half. Our first try came out of some sustained pressure as Callum McLelland's short pass was collected by Liam Welham, who busted through the line and rounded the Cornwall full-back to score just left of the sticks (4-6). Jake Sweeting converted Welham's try and we were back level (6-6). Two minutes later, Jake Sweeting got a try of his own as he dummied past the Cornish defence as first receiver to score right of the sticks and put the Canes in front (10-6). Sweeting also had no trouble adding the extras from in front of the sticks (12-6).

With just over ten minutes to go, the Canes earned themselves a 10-point lead as a beautiful high looping pass from Sweeting to Bass – who fumbled the initial catch but quickly regathered – meant we were two scores ahead (16-6). Sweeting was unable to convert the try from out wide. Just before the hooter, Bass almost scored his second as his run down the right edge was followed up by an inside grubber, however he was unable to capitalise on his efforts he was taken out off the ball by a Cornish player happy to concede the penalty so late into the half. With the last kick of the game Sweeting sought to add the extras from approximately 30 metres out, however his kick from the touch-line was well wide. The Canes went into the sheds with a 10-point lead.

Half-time: Midlands Hurricanes 16 – 6 Cornwall RLFC

The first ten minutes of the second half was largely even, however it was Cornwall who struck first to narrow their deficit. In the 49th minute, former Hurricanes hooker Nathan Conroy burrowed over on the last tackle of back-to-back sets to score Cornwall's second of the afternoon (16-10). Once again, Cameron Brown added the two points from the kicking tee (16-12).

With just under 20 minutes to go, the Canes restored their 10-point lead as Lewis Peachey – a regular for the Canes on dual-registration from Sheffield Eagles – collected a Cullimore pass from 5m out and forced his way over the line under the sticks despite having four Cornish players clinging to him (20-12). Sweeting gratefully added the conversion (22-12).

With the two-score lead restored, the Canes looked to close out the game with a fifth try but a combination of poor handling and stubborn Cornish defence meant the home side was unable to make thing clicks in the Cornwall half. In what turned out to be a pivotal moment in the match, Blake Broadbent was sin-binned in the 71st minute for colliding with Morgan Punchard off the ball, meaning the Canes would play the rest of the game a man down. Whilst the Hurricanes held on for the first five minutes, it was the Choughs who finished strongly in the dying embers. Cornwall fan-favourite David Weetman was the beneficiary of a short pass metres from our line as he span over to score left of the sticks (22-16), with Cameron Brown adding the extras shortly thereafter (22-18). With their tails up, it was Cornwall's Cameron Brown that proved to be the hero of the afternoon for the visitors as he broke through the Canes defence and rounded Todd Horner to score to the right of the sticks (22-22), before comfortably converting his own try from the kicking tee (22-24).

Realising time was quickly running out to restore the lead, the Canes went for a short kick-off but the resulting contest was deemed a knock-on by the referee. Knowing all they had to do was run down the clock, the visitors progressed a sluggish set until the final hooter sounded on the handover.

A disappointing result for the Midlands, who never seemed to quite click into gear and take control of the game as they had in the reverse fixture. We must now turn our heads to our second of four consecutive home games on Sunday 19 May 2024 as we take on Newcastle and aim to bounce back with a fourth win of the season.

Attendance:

271

Man of the Match:

Jake Sweeting (sponsored by Barkston Plastics)

Scoring sequence:

0-4, 0-6, 4-6, 6-6, 10-6, 12-6, 16-6, 16-10, 16-12, 20-12, 22-12, 22-16, 22-18, 22-22 and 22-24.