1sts start on the road to recovery

After a tough start to the season the Horden were always going to provide a stern test for a Novos side still searching for their first win in the league. There was a new look to the squad with some new faces and some of the 2nd team rewarded for good form with promotion to the 1st team with and challenge to hold on to the shirt. There is now good competition at Novos for starting places and this can only be positive for the upcoming challenges that lie ahead this season.

The game started at frenetic pace and for 15 minutes it was Novos who dominated the early exchanges, a series of drives and half breaks almost handed a try to Rory Diggle, but Hordens defence was well organised and they recovered, makeshift kicker Luke Mitchell was unsuccessful with his first penalty attempt but made no mistake with his second to hand Novos a 3-0 lead. This seemed to spur Horden into life and they mixed the game well from a series of tight forward drives and spinning it wide, but it was from an interception mistake that Horden’s impressive Scrum Half intercepted to score their first try of the afternoon. Horden scored again through a Novos error as a knock on was seized up on by Horden Scrum Half who passed to their winger to score again and with half time approaching it happened again when Andy Borthwick uncharacteristically dropped a ball only for Horden’s number 9 to hack the ball through and win his own chase to give Horden a 3-17 lead at half time. The scoreline was harsh on Novos who had shown in patches some good rugby.

Novos started the second half feeling they may get something from the game but realistically needed to take the next score, some great rugby from kick off looked like it would yield that result with Mark Cooper and Fergus Wilson finding spaces on their debuts, but every break was just a half break and Horden defended well. Horden then created an excellent try as they turned possession over and drove up field, they threw an excellent backs move that released their full back to score an impressive try to give them a bonus point. On 60 minutes Dave Addison replaced Gav Evans who looked in some pain with a nasty ankle injury and Ben Adcock gave way to a calf injury for James Bass. Horden scored 2 more tries quite quickly to move further clear and at 3 – 43, Novos were on the end of a scoreline that didn’t really do justice to the game, Andy Gardiner bravely played on with a badly damaged finger as did Ben Walker with a shoulder injury as Novos injuries mounted, but worse was to follow Micheal Reidy, took a nasty knock to the shoulder and joined Gav Evans off to A & E – both players were having super games and hopefully those injuries aren’t too serious.
With time running out Novos were rewarded for a gutsy display when Skipper Andy Borthwick, himself carrying a shoulder injury into the game forced his way over for a defiant try with the last play of the game.

The better side won on the day, Horden were gracious victors and agreed that Novos had suffered some bad luck and lost out on the 50/50 calls with the referee. These things happen when your bottom of the league, the decisions and the rub of the green always seems to go against you – Novos will bounce back and with the attitude and commitment within the squad will be hoping fortunes change soon.

Onwards and upwards, Novos travel to Druid Park to take on Old rivals Gosforth on the plastic pitch – Not a bad place to start picking up some points if we can.