5 point win for Belgrave before xmas break.

,The game today a trip to Rushden and Higham RFC founded in 1950,the year soap rationing ended,Richard Branson was born and England lost in a humiliating defeat to the USA by 1 goal to nil.Thats Mooneys history lesson out of the way.
Setting off from the ground with Joe(legohead)Pollard,Niall(right place right time)O'Connor and the newly named Callum(where's me boots)Hollis,who has misplaced his boots for the last 3 weeks.
A somewhat fraught journey as JPs sat nav was set for Rushden and CHs sat nav was set for the last away game at Olney RFC,come back Wayne and Tom Hunter all is forgiven.
Match official for the day Mr Martyn Sly as in "Sly and the family Stone" an American band from the 60s through to the 80s,sounds better than as in fox Martyn,who is in the Warwickshire society but hails from Tamworth.
On the kick off Belgrave defended the road end and had the wind and slope in their favour,after 10 minutes with their pack being led by Ivan(evergreen)Wright they scored a pushover try Tom Knifton dropping on the ball.Rushden counter attacked but were held on Belgraves 22.
Another forward led attack allowed Elliot Walker to score his first try for the club dropping on the ball from a rolling maul.Belgrave kept up the pressure but could not turn it into points following stout defence by Rushden.
A head high tackle on Jamie(the cobra)Crumbie saw Rushden down to 14 men,to close the half Kirk(I've not got the legs)Harpin scored from a 20 yard run.Half time saw Belgrave lead by 19 points to nil.As with the last 3 weeks would this be enough given Belgrave would be playing against the wind and up the slope.
Rushden then took advantage of the conditions and Oscar Saunders scored a fine individual try from 30 yards out.The elderly Rushden fans tried to tell me his name was Sanders.But that's "Sanders of the river" circa 1935 starring Leslie Banks and Paul Robeson and they never played rugby.
Oscar then scored another try to give Rushden 12 points and keeping Belgrave under pressure,Belgrave put 3 points on the board through the boot of Kevin(bungle)Curtis.A bit of a scare this morning when he came around to collect his shoes.But that's another story.
With Belgrave mounting a defence against the oncoming tide of Rushden attacks desperate measures were needed..An interception by Joe Pollard set up Kirk Harpin go on a run,Jack Kyle cut through the defence and passed to Callum Hollis who by now had found his boots and he raced into the corner to score.
Rushden kept up the pressure Duncan Green crossing the line,with the game on a knife edge,Kevin Curtis slotted over another penalty to give Belgrave 30 points.In the last moments of the game Jordan Kirk scored for Rushden to give them 2 losing bonus points.Final score Belgrave 30 Rushden 26.
Famous person at the ground but did not know it a Rushden stalwart Gordon Riding who during his army service with the Royal Engineers stood guard at Buckingham Palace.One of the first of his regiment to do so.I will let Victoria and Albert know Gordon next time I see them.
A pleasant evening at the club and the "Tom Hoskins with the usual suspects,LE4s answer to the Kray brothers Ben and Lewis Austin now believed to weigh 12 stones between them and that's wringing wet.
From Coach Regan and his team a big thank you to the team plus Cliff and Jane,the ladies in the kitchen and others too numerous to mention.Have a happy xmas and new year. from the coaching staff.
I myself will be jetting off to Florida for the festive season with two page 3 girls to spend the cash made from the publishing and royalties of these reports.See you in 2016.