Southam 16 - 18 Barker Butts

Southam started the league with a tight run game against Barkers Butts.

It was a much changed team due to injury and unavailability, but still Southam responded well and could of took the points.

Southam defended well into a stiff wind for the opening spell against the big Butts unit, but succumbed to a weak try after ten minutes. From a Butts lineout in the Southam 22, the ball was spread and bouncing pass with a hint of forward was handled the better by Butts, who gathered and went over for the try. Southam continued to defend strongly, but struggled to clear their lines in the face of the wind and eventually Butts got a 3 point penalty on the 22 for holding on in the tackle. With minutes to go, Southam looked to have held Butts outl, but some miscommunication on the centre allowed the Butts 13 straight through on the halfway and he stayed in front all the way to the line.
HT 0 - 13

The wind made all the difference and Southam used kick and chase to put pressure on the Butts and soon, forced a penalty for offside, converted by scrum half Josh Tolley, Southam got back into Butts 22 and stayed there and after numerous penalties, they took the points in front of the posts, converted by Tolley. Miscommunication again, gave Butts their only points of the half, when a big gap was left on the blind side of a Butts ruck on the Southam 10m and the Butts scrum half picked up and ran through it clear to the line. Some fine work from the backs, Will Clarke, Jon Lowden and Joe Tresendern , got Southam back into the butts 22 and forced another penalty for not rolling away, converted by Tolley. Fly half Lowden, crashed hard tight in and Southam got back up the pitch. Southam backs spread it side to side and eventually Butts ran out of men and neat overhead pass from Lowden 10m out, left back row Finn Toner a free run in, near the posts. Butts kept Southam in their own 22 from the kick off and Southam had plenty of chances to use the wind, but tried to run it out and were held up and the time ran out.
FT 16 - 18

MOTM Sam Deeming

Next week Sat Sept 15th:-
1st away v Nuneaton Old Eds (league)
2nd home v Nuneaton Old Eds (friendly)