Melbourne battle to win in wind, mud and rain

Melbourne 2nds 10 Belper 2nds 5

Following the defeat at Castle Donnington and the cancelled game last week Melbourne 2nds needed a game, this was a weekend off but with Derby Vets away next week we decided to look for a friendly. Belper 2nds obliged. Belper are top of their pennant league so this was a good test, and they also had a pitch that was it pretty good condition apart from a big puddle on one side.

Melbourne lost a few players to international games and for the first time ever two to a rapping competition but we still managed a pretty solid team. We had a couple of players Dan Walker and Fossie who volunteered after the first game was off, and Jack Pearce who had been picked for the firsts rejoined us

The Belper team looked pretty good before the match, a bit bigger than us, but not old men etc.

The wind was swirling like crazy, I think we chose to kick with the wind, but it was hard to tell which was it was going.

The game kicked off, Melbourne looked more adventurous spreading the ball quickly, but dropping the ball several times in the very poor conditions and as early as the first 5 minutes demonstrating our unique skill of running aggressively towards the opposition try line but deciding to leave the ball behind or to throw it forward without being tackled. We put in a lot of long pass’s and if anything Belpers more direct game was better for the conditions.

Belper were no mugs, they had a couple of first in the team as well, and had a very good full back and were powerful in the scrum.

After 7 minutes Melbourne took a scrum against the head and got some quick ball, the ball was moved fast but some how a pass was intercepted by a belper player who ran the length of the pitch to score. 5-0

Dan Walker had 20 minutes for Ed up front

The game was a friendly and I think most players were happy to have a game, and it seemed we might well settle for a defeat against a pretty good team. Melbourne were not firing on all cylinders, some how we were not quite as Dynamic as we could be.

Neither team was using the wind all that well and by and large Belper had the most of the ball, Melbourne gave away quite a few penalties at the breakdown and continued to knock on, in the wind. But with 2 minutes left in the half Melbourne broke out a great run down the win by Jack Pearce who fed Tom Line, to score in the corner 5-5 at half time and probably we were a little lucky to be at that score.

In the 2nd Half Melbourne were probably against the wind , Scott Swarnnick came on in the centres and Jack went to the wind. Ed came back on and Dan rotated through the back row. Belper seemed to rotate some players was well and their scrum seemed to get a bit stronger.

But we really did wake up a bit in the 2nd half , although Belper had a good game for the conditions, Melbourne made the better brakes, Tommy line who was faultless at full back started to chance his, arm, as did devon< jack peace and some of the running forwards, Tony Day, Jordan, Chris Williams and Joe Bryant running with ball in hand.

We also seemed to be a bit quicker to the break down and just winning a bit more ball, really Belper never got near the Melbourne 22.

One of the highlights of the 2nd half was a break by Joe Bryant from a quick penalty taken by Joe Bryant, including a commando roll and it looked like Chris Williams and Jordan would score but again we threw the ball forward.

But on 27 minutes a kick was fielded by Tommy line who ran it back to feed fossie to score 10-5. It was now mainly Melbourne and Belper had to force the game a bit from deep this led them to being turned over more frequently and Melbourne getting on the attack again. Melbourne probably did score again but the try was ruled out for a forward pass.

Melbourne now really appeared to care about winning and were fired up.

After 38 mins the ref signalled last play (which was good) but Melbourne they had a nervous couple of minutes as they gave away 4 penalties on the trot, but Belper eventually spilled the ball and Melbourne cleared for touch. 10-5 to Melbourne

Good game for us, we started a bit slower than normally and they moved up the gears, we did really care about the win by the end and if felt good.

Belper were a good team and thanks to the supporters and players for making us so welcome, it would be great to play again

MVP sadly another back and for the 2nd week in the row Tommy Line, who is playing brilliantly and confidently

In the end the stats would probably say that we had less of the ball, but turned over the ball more, and had more scoring chances, so we deserved to win I think. Belper scored a breakaway try and we tackled really well when they rumbled towards us, as always Tony Day doing lots of hard work.

Next week derby vets away