Close call but Caldy start with a victory

Sep 3 2007 by Andrew Stratton, Liverpool Daily Post

Caldy 13, Hull Ionians 11

CALDY achieved the win they so badly wanted in their first outing in the national scene, but it was a close call.

Ionians missed a conversion in injury time to level the scores and then failed narrowly with a penalty which would have tipped the balance in a tight National Three North affair.

Hull may not be one of the more fancied sides in the division but they remained dogged throughout.

Caldy, with an 8-0 advantage playing against the breeze, seemed likely to run away with things but Hull dug deep to keep the result in the balance.

Simon Mason landed a penalty towards the end of the opening quarter and Caldy scored their first try deep in first-half injury time with Matt Bennett scampering away for the touchdown after a fine break by Neil Dowridge.

James Ferguson landed a simple penalty for the visitors straight after half-time and added another on 56 minutes to make it 8-6.

Richard Bradshaw was credited with the second home try on 65 minutes in a drive from a line-out but there was no conversion on a day when the normally reliable Mason managed one successful kick from five attempts.

It was nail-biting for the home followers when the Hull forwards drove over for a try in the eighth minute of added time. But Ferguson failed with the relatively easy goal and then missed the target from almost the identical spot with the very last kick in the 15th minute of added time.

Paul White was prominent in the line-outs for Caldy while Jake Lyon, Matt Lamming and Sam Dickinson provided a solid back-row.

Caldy now have a better idea of what to expect in the division.