Melbourne push Sutton Bonnington close

Melbourne played in the pennant against Sutton Bonnington, Melbourne had decided to select a proper 2nd team despite the firsts not having a fixture, but were boalstered by Jamacan Rugby League international Lewis Bowman coming back to union and Jack pearce wanting a game. The team was a little disrupted by Tony Days drinks soiree with Jake W and Phil Jones not going to bed and drinking all night and crying off, and josh having to work. Fortunately Karl english escaped from family duties to play and Jordan Sparkes skipped off work to get to the game for the 2nd half). Due to having no hooker Pip volunteered and Deano went in at prop. so the starting team were Mansfield, Pip, Deano,. Chris W (who had been to Tony Days but went to sleep) Booko (out from retiremement) Jake Collard, Jack Pearce (no 8) and Guy Cooper.
Riochie Woodburn, Fulli, Karl, Lewis B, Kurtis, Sean the sheep and Andy Orrack (nee James). With the promise of Sam the angry clown to come on at half time with Alex Birch and hopefully a hooker.

Sutton Bonnington were exactly what you would expect, young students, some wearing tweed jackets and very polite. It was our assumptions and a team made up of vets and farmers that most of them had been playing since they were 4 years old and had probably been to a hogwarts or equivilent and been taught by very good coaches.

The pitch was bang on and their was little wind. I decided not to take any notes this week, so the rest of this is a bit hazy. From the off it was clear that the two styles of play were pretty similar with both teams palying pretty expansive rugby and neither opting for lots of driving mauls etc. This was very different from most of the teams we have played this year.

Oddly the scrums were going to be important, although neither team had a huge pack the quality of the scrummage ball was to be a deciding factor in the game. Line outs went with put in by and large, and although Bonnington only had one real jumper they found him regularly. The game was very even both teams trying to make breaks and neither team ever really getting away. what was clear is that Bonnington team had pace, so where the likes of Lewis, Sean or Kurtis would normally expect to break the odd tackle and be too quick for some oppostion team members that did not happen. This also applied to Melbourne who had the pace to snuff out any Bonnington attacks..

a big issue for Melbourne was the scrum where we one our own ball but the Bonningotn scrum half could mess with it, the un proven Pearce, Woodburn combination worked out what to do as the game went on, but in the first 20 the ball was frequently turned over, and there were a lot of scrums.

Eventually Bonnington got to within 22 yards of the melbourne line and after a missed tackle jinked over for an unvonverted try 5-0. Melbourne came back and found some self belief. Lewis/Karl had not had much ball and a lot was kicked away but from one lovely cross field kick Kurtis Snaffled the ball to score 5-5. Melbourne had their tails up and we hoped with a slighlty more setteld front row and momentum we could go on to win.

Half time 5-5 a few words about some players now, Jake Collard stood out for his tackling, and all round play, Jack Pearce was full of commitment and strength and Karl and Lewis recycled a lot of ball.

In the 2nd half Jordan came on and Pip could go to Prop, and for 20 minutes melbourne dominated, the advantage in scrums meant we took some Bonnington ball and make ours more secure, we domintated territory and pocessison and eventually got a penalty 8-5. we also had a couple of chance to score a try, notably Alex Birch who did manage to break a few tackles and almost got to the line. I felt if we had got that score we would have moved ahead. Sam the clown had learnt to tackle in his summer off.

Bonnington struck me as a team that had learnt to play against bigger teams and did so by not trying to drive mauls and get turned over, and by disupting scrummage ball once won by the oppostion, and all their players were good quality, I am not sure there was a dropped kick of panicked pass etc all afternoon from them.

Bonnington then began to camp in our half, and exert pressure, I think our scrum began to tire and they made a few changes that helped their style and despite winning ball,. we never decisively cleared our lines, eventually Bonnington scored in the corner from about their 10 phase of ball. the try was hotly contested by Melbourne but it was no more than they deserved.

We tried to do something in the last ten but in all truth we never looked liked scoring or exerting consistent pressure.

The game finsished with a bit of a scrap, but otherwise was played in very good spritits by two closely matched teams who played a lot of good stuff, the low score was due to the defence rather than the lack of ambition.

Well done bonnington

The match was useful, Rich Woodburn, getting better and better at scum half, pip getting fitter (though he begged to be repalced from the 12th minute) Cooper and Collard really great and Alex Birch really getting the hang of this rugby lark

Man of the match betwen Jake and Jack but it goes to Jack for his attitude and agression in an un familair position

Next week Party, week after away to east leake