Beccles Bow Out Of RFU Senior Vase

Old Cantabs ended Beccles dream of an appearance at Twickenham with a gutsy win. Beccles were forced into late changes due to injury and full back Ben Veasey-Lark being taken ill on the eve of the game, Alan Cooper had to be called up from the 2nd XV to take his spot. The visitors took the lead after 3 minutes with a penalty as their fearsome scrum immediately had the Beccles 8 going backwards on their own ball. The Bulls were soon into the match as good interplay put them into the Old Cantabs 22. A penalty award under the posts was then spurned as despite the pre-match plan to take all easy points on offer an impetuous quick tap allowed Old Cantabs to turnover possession and clear their lines. The mistake was rectified after a spell of Bulls pressure enabled Luke Wade to score the equalising goal after 17 minutes.

Beccles then produced some of the best rugby of their season, they started to come to grips with the Cantabs scrum and drove their forwards back with several telling tackles - Robert Hall as always leading the defensive effort. Strong forward drives from Wilson and Ling made inroads and Luke Wade used possession well with intelligent kicking to gain ground. The Beccles fly half also released his threes to good effect and put in a number of telling chips which had the Cantabs back 3 under pressure. Frost, Wilson and Sale looked to have broken clear but were just caught by last ditch Cantabs tackles which effectively kept them in the game. Two penalties kicked by Wade gave Beccles a 9-3 lead which was not enough reward for their spell of dominance.

Just before half time Cantabs came back strongly,they moved the ball swiftly to the left wing and scored in the corner to bring the score to 9-8. A further score by the visitors looked inevitable however a series of scrums in the Beccles 22 were defended as the half time whistle was finally blown.

Unfortunately for the Bulls Cantabs maintained their momentum early in the second half as the Beccles defence began to creak. The home sides defensive line speed slipped and their first up tackling was too high. This allowed the visitors midfield runners to cross the gain line or find the support of their pack to drive the Bulls back into their own 22 again and again. It took 15 minutes for the Bulls to enter Cantabs territory and score another penalty against the run of play through Luke Wade who was showing his finest kicking form. The score was now 12-8 and stalwarts Dave Rix and Chris Hinsley were introduced to try and win some turnover ball to stem the Cantabs tide.

As the pressure mounted Beccles made some questionable decisions playing into Cantabs hands by taking the ball into contact rather than allow Wade to try and find some territory. Cantabs were able to stifle close drives and won turnover ball to keep Beccles in their own half. Eventually with 10 minutes to play Cantabs took the lead for the first time with a try in the right corner to make the score 13-12. The Bulls were not going to let their Twickenham dream die and went for broke moving the ball wide in an effort to escape the Cantabs shackles. First Chris Frost and then Sam Harmer looked to have made the crucial break with Harmer appearing to be clear before being felled by a desperate tap tackle.

In the last throw of the dice Marcus Sale made a telling low hit in midfield on the half way line showing serious leg power to drive his man back. Hinsley was bravely over the ball like a shot as he has done all his career forcing the visitors to give away a last minute penalty 45 metres out. Luke Wade stepped up for the crucial kick, the freezing temperature and breeze in his face meant the strike had to be perfect to have any chance. Wade could not hit the kick any better but it fell just under the bar allowing the jubilant Cantabs to put the ball out to finish the game. The old heads on the sideline could not help wonder what might have been if the first clear kicking opportunity had been taken under the posts.

Overall Cantabs deserved the win and Beccles should be proud of their efforts to get so close. B & B Man of the match was Chris Frost

Team Holtzer, Lake, Ling, Johnstone, Edwards, R Hall, R Wilson, Hoffman, Wade, Frost, Sale, Harmer, Harrison. Subs Hewitt, Hinsley, D Rix, Maeer