Southam 20 - 3 Dunstablians

On a sodden pitch at Kineton Rd Southam started this cup match hoping to progress to the 4th round for the first time in the clubs history.

Southam had the brighter start and against a pack that outweighed, the Southam pack put on the pressure in the scrum and forced a penalty on the Dunstablians 22 and the captain Grindal opened the scoring with a penalty. Southam kept up the pressure and the game was mostly played in the Ds half, but the greasy conditions made successive phases difficult for both sides. After 15 minutes Southam got the breakthrough with the backrow taking the ball on before the ball was spread wide to centre Woods who stepped his man on the Dunstablians 10m and headed for the try line, 5m out he drew the full back and put wing Bench away.

Dunstablians then used their big men to rumble the ball up the pitch and forced the scrum in front of the Southam posts and then somehow were awarded a scrum penalty as they were again retreating at a rate. Southam returned to the Ds half and with a probing cross kick from scrum half Ellerington the ball was recycled and the forward maul drove over for the try by Grindal who also converted.
HT 15 - 3

Southam continued the pressure at the start of the second half pinning Ds in their 22 until they won a scrum against the head
and drove on, broke blind and then recycled the ball several times until prop Gilkes dotted down in the corner. For the rest of the half Southam struggled to retain possession and were kept in their own half by numerous penalties, the referees constant penalties effectively killed off the game as Ds were not going to score and Southam could not secure enough possession to add to their score.

A strong performance across the board for the Southam team with special mention to the pack who really put a shift in to handle the larger Ds forwards.

This win puts Southam in the 4th round / quarter finals for the first time and the players will be well up for the next game on Feb 6th. Some clubs left in the cup are Oundle & Kesteven (who narrowly beat Rugby Lions) from the East Midlands and Evesham & Ledbury from the West Midlands league.

The League continues next Saturday Jan 9th as Southam visit neighbors Harbury.

MOTM Lewis Dodds

Teams left in cup :- Note some games were postponed:-

Ashfield, Evesham, Kesteven, Oundle, Southam, Stewarts & Lloyds, Loughborough, Willenhall & Ledbury