Walsall’s first game in this season’s Regional 2 league proved to be a very entertaining encounter. The spectators at Delves Road saw twelve tries being scored with the hosts scoring eight. It only took half a minute for the home team to show their attacking intent. Prop forward Callum Martin stormed forward after securing the opposition kick off. He covered sixty yards before being stopped. The ball was quickly passed out with debutant Mark Harrison finishing off with a strong run for the try. Four minutes later, the ever alert, George Hill ,made another tackle and turned over possession. Once again the ball was passed quickly and reached lock forward Callum Hoy. He showed good speed and strength as he broke through the Melbourne defence for the touchdown, with Adam Nunney adding the conversion. Hill was also involved in creating the next Walsall score. Only seven minutes had been played as the Walsall flanker made a strong run and retained possession, more quick passing resulted in Dan Carpenter racing over from twenty yards for a try. Ben Pitt added the conversion. Remarkably, nearly twenty minutes had been played before we had the first scrum of the game. This took play close to the Melbourne try line. Scrum half Joe Coleman was in support and ran in the next try. The closing minutes of the first half saw Walsall’s Callum Hoy forced to leave the field because of injury.
It was his second row partner, Mike Whitehouse that instigated a length of the field attack which resulted in a spectacular try. Ben Pitt, Mark Harrison and Adam Carpenter, maintained the attack before the final pass reached Max Brown on the right wing to make the final twenty yards try scoring burst. Pitt and Harrison were, once again, involved in the next try scoring attack. They found back row forward, Kyle Reid, in support to finish off with the try. Soon afterwards the visitors scored their first try, as hooker Matt Suddaby broke through the tiring Walsall defence. Five minutes later, they broke through for the second try. Several short drives eventually resulted in a couple of passes saw the ball reach Euan North, the centre making the final try scoring burst. Will Cresswell added the conversion. The hosts replied immediately. Replacement Rhys Gaddu made a good ball carry, and then the ball was quickly recycled. Joe Coleman was also quick to move the ball. Outside half, Toby Smith, made a well timed pass to the hard working George Hill. The flanker showed good speed as he crossed for the try. The Derbyshire team scored two late tries with winger Luca Anderson showing a lot of pace as he raced over for two well taken tries,