Melbourne welcomed Bugbrooke RFC to Cockshut Lane on another wet and windy autumnal Saturday. With the sides not having met before it was a game of chance with little know regards the opposition. The warm-up suggest that the visitors were well drilled with excellent skill sets on display.

With the opportunity to rotate and continue to develop our squad, the green&gold rang the changes with Whitten moving into the row, Pearce and Stephenson making up the back row. The Livesey brothers paired up in the centre, with Melbourne welcoming Joe Stuart back from injury.

Tom Warren, returning for the green&gold and making his first appearance of the season, Josh Mallet and Dan Walker completed a strong looking replacements bench.

Melbourne received the kick and started well. Controlling the game and looking dangerous with ball in hand. Once again the green&gold defence was a keystone to an effective performance, snuffing the life out of Bugbrooke when in possession. It was Sam Hancock, who continues to thrive and improve his form week on week, that took the first opportunity that came Melbourne's way. As Bugbrooke pressed hard a chip over the top of the defence was cleverly executed by Holden and collected by Hancock who rounded the last line of defence for a score left of the posts. The conversion unsuccessful from Holden. 5 - 0

Melbourne initially came under pressure in the scrum but soon regained ascendancy with a technical tweak here and there and their lineout proved to be a good vein of ball for the home side. Bugbrooke soon began to get rattled and cheap shots led to a break-up in the quality of the game as the official had to intervene on several occasions for off ball incidents and events. This allowed Bugbrooke a cheap penalty central to the posts which they converted with ease 5 - 3.

The off-side line seemed to evaporate in the mid-section of the first half as time and again the visitors felt that they were allowed to come around the side of a ruck, as well as continual late hits - two points that the official eventually recognised and agreed with.

Melbourne continued to press and retain possession well. In the twentieth minute the rampaging Whitten got hold of the ball 5m out and managed bulldoze his way over for the second score of the day. Converted by Holden 12 - 3 This remained the score until half- time.

Melbourne introduced Mallet and Walker at half time and the agreement between coaches and players was to enforce our game plan further and use the conditions to our advantage.

On fifty four minutes Charlie Livesey, capping a fine performance, gained Melbourne's third score using a combination of footwork and power to break the defensive line and dot down. 19 - 3

Tom "Wazza" Warren was introduced to game at this stage, and made an immediate pressuring the opposition stand-off from a scrum and forcing a fumble. This allowed the green&gold to get behind the visitors defence with loose head Coyne, busy in the tight, managing to find his way over the line. 24 - 3

Other replacement, Mallet, soon got himself on the score sheet as Melbourne began to expose a tired Bugbrooke moving the ball into space and executing quick hands to release the speedy winger down the right flank. Despite the attentions of the covering scrum half, Mallet grounded the ball well. 31 - 3

The final ten minutes of game, show how much the green&gold are evolving and improving. A flurry of attacks and an increase in intensity saw three further scores.

Pack leader and outstanding back-five forward, James Benstead, continued to us this fine form to take a sharp pass at pace, the visitors unable to cope with the change in speed and footwork, as the second row ran a full 30m to dot down wide left. A superb solo effort and finish. 36 - 3

The final five minutes belonged to Joe Livesey who scored two fines tries. A fantastic solo effort showing the dexterity to his game with a mix of power, skill and footwork to break several tackles and dive under the posts and a second effort showing a turn of pace and beautifully angled line. 48 - 3

Whilst this was a cup game, Melbourne knew this would prove a stern test. Bugbrooke also having been relegated from Midlands 1 last year and having scored over 60 points themselves in two games this season. Melbourne can take great pride in the performance and use the confidence gained to enable a sharp focus for Lincoln who are the next visitors to Cockshut Lane, in Round 3 of Midlands 2 next Saturday.

TRIES: Hancock, Coyne, Benstead, C Livesey, J Livesey (2), Whitten, Mallett
CONV: X4 Holden
YC/RC: None
MOTM - Charlie Livesey.