Garstang had most of the possession of the ball in the opening 15 minutes of the game, helped by Orrell kicking away possession or giving away penalties. Orrells defence, however restricted the home sides opportunity to a penalty kick that when wide. Just after midway through the half, a good kick by Scott Robinson, resulted in a Garstang line out near their 22 metre line. Pressure from the Orrell forwards at the line out was rewarded by an Orrell line out. Orrell forwards secured the ball and moved it out to the backs. A reverse pass by Scott Robinson to centre Louis Whitfield enable Louis run through the defence to score. Scott converted to give Orrell a 7 point lead.
Unfortunately, from the restart Orrell gave away a penalty and from the resulting lineout gave away another penalty, which Garstang kicked , to open their scoring in the game.5 minutes before the break, Grastang narrowed Orrells lead to 1 point after they were awarded another penalty which they converted, making the score Garstang 6 Orrell 7 at half time.
From the restart Orrell knocked out and spent the next 10 minutes in their own half. Eventually Orrell managed to get into their opponents half, and after a number of pick up and drives by the forwards close to Garstangs line, the ball when out to winger Tom Hasall, who score close to the corner. Scott converted to extend Orrells lead to 6pts – 14pts. Garstang were able to narrow that lead a few minutes later, when they kicked another penalty given away by Orrell.
Injures to Orrell now came into play. Orrell had already lost prop John Statter, when with about 15 minutes left in the game, they lost the replacement front row player Chris Gregory and the game had to go to uncontested scrums and Orrell were reduced to 14 players for the rest of the game. Garstang took advantage of their extra player and scored a converted try to take the lead in the game for the first time by just 2 point. 16-14. The 14 players of Orrell were not about to give up and with just over 10 minutes left in the game, they retook the lead by 1 point, after a penalty kick by Kieran Herbert. A few minutes later Orrell extended their lead to 4 points when Kieran kicked another penalty. Well into stoppage time, and with the 14 men of Orrell tiring Garstang set up an attack close to the Orrell line, from which they eventually score, to take back the lead, by 1 point. Immediately after the conversion was kicked to make the final score Garstang 23 Orrell 20, the referee blow his whistle for the end of the game.
Next Saturday 8th October 2016 Orrell are at Home at St. John Rigby College, against North Manchester. Kick Off 2.30pm.