DERBY CITY SECOND HALF ROUT OF OUTLAWS

DERBY CITY RLFC 40 NOTTINGHAM OUTLAWS DEV RLFC 4
MIDLANDS PREMIER LEAGUE @ THE STUTE ILKESTON
27 MAY 2017 --- 2.30PM

DERBY CITY GO OVER THROUGH LEWIS STURGESS [11]

[As explained below please be aware du to doubts on numbers matching names on team sheets a number has been added to each name, apologies and hopefully Derby's are correct]
A powerful second half performance broke to 4 all half time deadlock with Derby scoring 7 second half tries and converting 4 of these alongside denying the Outlaws any points in this period too.
Todays choice of venue really s completely down to Mr R of the Buxton parish but formerly resident of this vicinity before an inter parish transfer.  Having decided last weeks football match at Hunslet was the final one of the season it would be cricket or rugby league all the way now, well at least for the next 8 weeks!  With the favoured National Conference Rugby League taking a break on a weekend with a bank holiday in it the option was looking like local cricket but with a worrying weather forecast I was dithering until Mr R through out this fixture in a text sent to blog HQ. 
Most of my Knowledge of Ilkeston surround the football club and the town centre but having researched todays venue which is just south of Ilkeston in Little Hallam at The Stute the home of Ilkeston RUFC the decision was taken to give it a go.

WELCOME TO THE STUTE

Departure from base on The Comet soon found us on the Ilkeston Flyer to just short of The Bulls Head and onward by foot along Longfield Lane of which all was peaceful with some rather swish houses on show.  From the ridge you could look southwards to see the former site of Stanton Iron Works established in the late 1800's and a major employer for a hundred years before its closure and as you get nearer to the ground it becomes all the more evident of this area and the nearby Stanton by Dale's importance to the works in its heyday.

ST BARTHOLOMEWS OVERLOOKS THE ACTION AT 1058

  Just below the ground is St Bartholomews Church which was built for this expanding community and its wonderful tower is a listed building but with the church now out of service since around 1969 its clock is stuck at 1058 I wonder if its been like that for just short of 50 years?  Still its right twice a day!  Back towards the ground and some superb old ironwork declares the sports grounds as the Kirk Hallam Fields Sports Ground and states their association with Stanton Iron Works.

SOME GOOD OLD IRON WORKING

With entrance to the sports facilities of cricket, rugby and football through 'The Stute' I settle for a quick refreshment and bag of savouries, the feel is very much of the 70's and 80's.  On the exterior wall there is a superb information guide to the area stating that at its height The Stanton Working Men's Institute had 4,000 members and that the then visible chimney of the nearby works rose to 190 feet.  You could only dream of this area in its prime what a sight and what a great little community must have built up around this large employer.
Inside to the ground then and a little descriptor the exterior of the club has a large hard standing area with railed off protection of the pitch to the left you soon enter a blocked off area and to continue you need to go pitch side and behind the posts onto the grass.  Coming up the far touchline there is a modern green fence with below it today action on the cricket pitch once again there is a mix of grass standing and over the fencing some hard standing.  Behind the top posts are the changing rooms in use today by both cricket and rugby.  Before the game there was a little time to catch up with one of the Derby officials and meet a few people who were looking to continue and advance the game of rugby league.

JOE DOUGHTY PROUD OWNER OF A WELSH YOUTH CLUB

Derby City were formed originally in 1990 and after various league changes and reorganisations that even I lost the will to remember found themselves sharing with Ilkeston RUFC via Asterdale, Markheaton and Derby RUFC grounds.  This will be their first home game of the season after 3 away games resulting in two wins and a loss so overall a good start returned from on the road travels.  The other noticeable achievement is the awarding of a Wales youth cap to Joe Doughty a lovely achievement for the player and Derby City.  Bringing the story of Derby City up to date and they withdrew from the league in 2008 while continuing with junior teams but couldn't resist the temptation of a senior side and re formed in 2011 and made their debut at Ilkeston on 2014.

EARLY ACTION WITH THE OUTLAWS IN POSSESSION

With the weather set fair but an increasingly blustery wind making kicking difficult we were off and its a this point I have to say having secured the team sheet I was warned that some of the players did not match up their number I think this in the end applied to the visitors so apologies I will add numbers and hope names are correct.

STURGESS [11] FIRST TRY OF THE DAY

The first half was a typical Derbyshire v Nottinghamshire 'derby' with tight defences and to the surprise of many officials a low scoring affair at the end of 40 minutes a try for Derby on 14 minutes through Lewis Sturgess [11] was levelled up 5 minutes before the whistle by the visitors number 2 [Chris Pearce].  Both conversions were unsuccessful with the strong wind making it almost impossible to settle the ball.
The first half had seen a 50/50 split with Derby starting strongly but Nottingham showed resilience to force their was back onto the game to level.
If the first half was close the second was anything but with the right wing proving Nottingham Outlaws undoing on 53 minutes Lewis Thompson [1] went over with once again Joe Doughty [7] unable to convert.

CLEAN DISTRIBUTION FROM DERBY CITY

  It was 14-4 on 57 minutes when Alex Brown [13] broke through on halfway to go overt he whitewash and this time Josh Jackson [14] took over the kicking duties and converted.  Moments later the one way traffic was confirmed when Thompson [1] broke away down the right to secure the points with Jackson [14] converting.  The next score was all down to Jackson [14] selling an outrageous dummy he went over then did the necessary with the kick to make it 26-4.

DERBY OVER AGAIN

  It was then time for early bird Sturgess [11] to complete his hat trick of tries when he went over twice in the space of 5 minutes with Jackson [14] converting one of the two chances and with the score running away from Nottingham, Derby added a final try on 75 minutes when Adam Walker [5] found joy again on the right hand side to make it 40-4 and seal a convincing victory in the second period after a very close first half.
As the wind got stronger in the second period and the dark clouds gathered I was rather wishing I had added a coat to my shirt and umbrella but with a steady amble back for the Ilkeston Flyer there was enough time to make the connection onto the Comet from Derby at 5.05pm.
This had been a day of new discovery I have certainly learnt of a new ground, club and area of Derbyshire that I had not previously known much about and also a much needed intake of local industrial knowledge in regards to the Stanton Ironworks.  Best wishes to both clubs for their season and hopefully I will see them again during the summer.