We Make Hard Work of a Deserved Victory

WPL put up a brave fight, but are eventually put to the sword

The game finally got under way after the referee arrived; knackered, from refereeing the YRFU School’s Finals Day, some would say he need not have bothered, not me, I thought he was awesome once more.

The Saxons had a team bolstered by Colts, Noah Hawkins and Dan Cass in particular who both managed tries, which owed more to the determination to avoid the ‘naked run’ than to any great skill.

They were also indebted to the Spartans whose game had been cancelled, and who thought they would have a nice game of T&P only to be thrown headlong in to the melee as the injury toil mounted.

Injuries and hospital treatment for Owen (shoulder) and Unit (knee) took the gloss off an otherwise memorable victory, one which must be said was snatched from the jaws of defeat.

WPL are a well-coached and managed outfit excellently captained by Josh, they are younger and fitter than most teams the Saxons come up against and on a bone dry pitch which suited their expansive game started the game as favourites, even with a player down.

The game was nip and tuck for the first half 19 v 19, but another injury to a WPL back rower tipped the game in the Saxons favour.
The substitute they literally plucked out of the stands had I’m sure he will agree seen his best rugby in the 20th Century, but fair play he let nobody down.

The scoreboard ticked over and swung one way then the next; 19 v 19, 26 v 19, 26 v 29, 26 v 36. The fleet of foot WPL left winger particularly filling his boots as he ghosted around the Morley winger.

However as WPL tired and Miller stopped hitting his own team mates the Saxons began to exert control up front and control the possession, South African Gary and Zimbabwean Gary especially given the young lads a bit of old school dog.

The last 10 minutes saw a 60 yard break away try from Noah to take us to 40 v 36 which effectively had the game won, then Dan Cass run a perfect line to crash through their defence and with the final play of the game score his first Saxon try.

MoM: Steve Redhead, marshalled well at 10, captained well after Unit left the park and managed 6 from 7 conversions.