Another successful Minotaur

Match Report by Ramsey,

Ramsey lost 50-21 to league leaders Manchester Medics and while they picked up no points, they did become one of the select band of sides who’ve scored more than 20 points against the Medics, which will be a useful boost for the coming weeks.

After a lively Ramsey start it was Medics who underlined their top spot in the standings with the opening try. Quick ruck ball got them to within yards of the Ramsey line. Then ensuing scrummage was disrupted illegally by Ramsey but with referee Joe Phelan playing advantage, Medics number eight Josh Luck steered the ball over for the try and a 5-0 lead. The lead was doubled by second row Chris Davis on eight minutes when he slipped through some slack tackling and after converting, stand off Tom Morris added a try of his own which he also converted to make it 19-0 after just thirteen minutes.

With a potential cricket score looming, Ramsey took the game back to the Medics after Nick McCudden carved a gap in the centres. The move broke down but Medics fluffed their own scrummage. The ball squirted out the side and Ramsey back rower Mikey Craine was quickest to react. He swooped on the loose ball and powered in for the try. Dan Bonwick converted to leave the Medics lead 19-7.

Two tries in the ten minutes before half time, made the game safe for Medics. The first was from an attempted pushover scrummage. The drive ended just short of the line and the ball bobbled out the side. Scrum half Tom Thompson scooped it up and dived over. The second was from a successful pushover try. This time Josh Luck was able to control the ball and he steered it in as the medics front five dominated. Tom Morris converted to leave Ramsey with a second half mountain to climb, trailing 31-7.

In the second half, Medics continued to dish out the medicine this time with their big forwards running wide. First up was tight head prop Marcus Clark who showed excellent pace down the right wing for his try. The second however was in a different class. Second row Chris Davis was fed the ball in space and he set off wide on the right. He sized up the defence and then shifted up a gear and outpaced it with Tom Morris converting. Finally, before twenty minutes were up, Elliott Craven went in to make it 50-7 and give his side an unassailable lead.

Ramsey however weren’t finished and continued to attack as the Medics seemed to tire. Ben Harding cut into the Medics twenty two and earned Ramsey a penalty. Josh Carine tapped to Luke Robertson who was hauled down just short, but Carine was backing up and he dived over for the try. Dan Bonwick converted. Then with the final play of the game, Ali Trace intercepted a tired Medics pass and then cleverly slipped the ball to Dan Bonwick who cruised home from fifty metres out to end the game with a try which he converted himself.