A hard fought win for BAC 1st XV

The pre match warm up and preparation went well and the team were switched on and up for the challenge of the unbeaten league leaders arriving at the BAWA.

We started positively with some good work and hard hits across the park. Good communication and direct running helped us keep the momentum and keep Cotham in their own half for the first 10-15 minutes. Their pack was working well, especially in the scrums and lineouts, a pattern that was consistent throughout the match.

Despite this, the defence remained solid and the pressure being applied paid off with a nice move from the half backs to get Bousch over the line to score our first points of the game. Sam Sheppard slotting the conversion over with ease.

Cotham kicked off and there was a period of good pressure from the opposition; however we again kept applying the pressure and more defensive work resulted in turnovers at the mauls and rucks. Unfortunatley, one of the turnovers in our own 22 that we fed back to our 10 to kick for touch was charged down and, as is always the way, bounced straight back up and into the hands of Cotham with a simple 15 yard run to score. Bad luck, but points against us.

Cotham kept working well, however their discipline was not good, with numerous penalty kicks allowing us to keep in their half. This eventually got us into their 22 and another penalty kick at the posts rattled the upright and bounced back into play. Despite this, 5 minutes passed and another penalty kick was awarded, this time easily put away by Sam Sheppard.

Half Time: 10-5

Reacting to Cothams good work in set play's, we made some changes from the bench and changed our game plan.

This paid dividends in the scrum, however the lineouts were probably the worst we have ever done since I have been at the club and credit to Cotham for picking the lineouts.

One of our many lineouts that was lost resulted in the turnover and Cothams halfbacks evading two of our players not tackling them allowing them to score under the posts and giving them an easy conversion. Further to this, we were penalised a few minutes later and they scored their penalty kick to make it 10-15 with 20 minutes to play.

The next 10 minutes were a mixed bag of Cotham players getting injured and substituted off the field and some of their players 'taking a knee' to catch their breath as we had upped the intensity to try and get back into the game. This frustrated BAC and after Cotham were just about to be penalised for pulling down a maul, our Number 8 was penalised for unfair rucking and sent off.

This meant the last 15 minutes played with 14 and five points down. We kept the pressure on Cotham and it frustrated them into more penalties. Sam Sheppard scoring another 3 points from a wide angle. Then with 5 minutes to go another opportunity was taken and the 3 points gave us a 16-15 lead. No taking a knee from BAC as we held out to win the game.

Result: BAC 16 Cotham Park: 15

Overall a wins a win, but still not consistant enough to be happy with how we played. Cotham were a well organised side and we wish them well in the league. I promised Craig (the Cotham Captain), we would give them a better game at their place and he said the same so it should be a great reverse fixture.