Super Seconds go 1 step closer to merit table glory

In weather resembling a crisp spring morning rather than a winters day the Old Scouts Super Seconds prepared to face Ampthill in a home merit table encounter. To date both teams had only lost 3 merit table games and if the rest of the merit table runs to form then this game may well be the one that decides who comes out on top at the end.

Both teams new this and so two strong well motivated squads prepared to face up and do battle. The Super Seconds were bolstered in the backs by the return of Andrew Ritchie, Will Silvey and Jack Kelly who drove up from far and wide to pull back on a Scouts shirt and reunite one more time.

Scouts kicked off into the wind and against the slope to start the game and the first 4 minutes of play took place in the midfield before a mistake from Scouts captain Neill Friedman saw the ball bobble loss and the visitors pounced on the loose ball picked it up and ran in the first try which went unconverted.

The home team went straight on the attack from the restart and it was not long before Sam French playing at 10 produced a show and go followed by a turn of pace that left the opposition for dead and saw him score the Scouts opening try which Sam also converted.

With the score at 7 3 the battle continued the visitors being the next to score this time their number 12 cut back inside to make the break. The conversion this time was good.

Again Scouts countered almost immediately this time Will Silvey at inside centre went over to score after combining nicely with Andrew and Sam. Sam was again on target with the boot. Just on half time however the visitors almost identically repeated their last try with the same result and when the half was blown the Super Seconds found themselves 14 19 down but would have the slight breeze along with the slope in their favour for the second half.

The second half saw the visitors starting strong and repeatedly trying the same midfield move but by now the home team were onto it. However the Ampthill maul remained a threat and after a penalty saw them having the throw in to a line out seven or eight meters out, Ampthill set up the rolling maul and crossed the line again succeeding with the extras and the score now stood at 14 26.

Despite the score line the home team pack had stamped their mark on the scrums and the visitors were taking a battering in this department this saw them rotating front row to no effect and the pressure being excreted saw their big men tiring. This resulted in good ball for the backs and soon Will Silvey went over for his second and again Mr. French was on song with the extras. This saw the score line narrow to 21 26.

At this point the game became a war of attrition with both teams attacking and defending twice the Scouts managed to turn ball over on their own line whilst the visitors also defended their line passionately. with 6 minutes to go however the break came and when it did it came from just inside the visitors half when Yanny playing on the wing put himself into space and made the hard yards before being brought down just short however Joseph Teema (JT) who had been following up superbly was their to take the off-load and went over to score. Sam still making no mistakes with the boot gave Scouts the narrow 28 26 lead with 4 minutes to go.

As the clock was winding down the visitors threw everything they could into the game in order to try and snatch back the lead this however lead to some loose ball which was secured by second row Ian Barber just on the half way line and Ian took off like a rocket making all the hard yards. As Ian crossed into the opposition 22 he had supporting players calling for the ball on both his left and right however with the only player standing between Ian and try glory being half Ian's size and weight he decided to go straight through himself. It was not to be the little youngster stopped the big man in his tracks, However Ian did managed to get the ball away as he went down. David (Piggy) Markie swept it up and delivered it into the hands of Jack Kelly who scored out wide, the conversion attempt being Sam's only miss of the day.

The game was restarted with the visitors still trying everything they could but the Scouts defence held their lines and with the clock run down the Super Seconds wrestled possession away from Ampthill and Sam rather then selecting to kick the ball the short distance into touch instead hoofed it the length of the pitch were it seemed to take an agonisingly long time to bounce and bobble over the dead ball line and the ref called the game much to the delight of the home team with a winning score of 33 26.

A great game enjoyed by all a special thanks to those who travelled a distance to come play. Ned Buckler who had a solid game at full back had to change work shifts in order to be available thanks Ned. A great performance from the full squad made this victory very sweet indeed.