Match Report - Towcestrians RFC 32 - Leighton Buzzard RFC 10

After last week’s surprise defeat to Salisbury the lessons that Coach, Darren Snook, said needed to be learned by the Towcestrians team were certainly executed after this impressive victory against local rivals and previously unbeaten Leighton Buzzard.

Towcestrians looked a much more balanced side this week after ringing the changes and looked hungry and up for the challenge that a big Buzzard side would bring.

After a solid start Tows turned defence into attack with a couple of driving mauls to quickly advance downfield and allow Pepe Nanci to touch down for the first try, the conversion was missed, but with the Referee allowing good advantage to be played Tows looked impressive and dominated the opening exchanges, a penalty from Scott Browne saw Tows out to an early 8 - 0 advantage.

Despite the possession Tows were unable to keep the scoreboard ticking over and this allowed Buzzard back into the match when their No.8 crashed over for a try, quickly followed by another score after Liam Wilkinson found himself in the sin bin for a ten minute breather, and Buzzard turned around 8 – 10 up.

Buzzard started brightly in the second half but poor handling in the backs let Tows off the hook on several occasions, an attempted Buzzard grubber kick through rebounded off a Tows player and Alex Chalcraft showed his pace to win the chase to touchdown for the try, it then became the visitors turn to go down to 14 men after their no.8 was binned and the 7 man Buzzard pack was unable to cope with the forward pressure from the penalty line out drive, Sam Sturley, on his return to the team crashed over for the score with Browne converting.

Tows then put together the best move of the match, good hands moving the ball left into space for Centre Nanci to ghost up on the inside and take the pass for his second and the bonus point try, Browne again converting.

The Buzzard no.8 didn’t stay long after returning, collecting a second yellow, and was sent from the field, Tows now in complete control against a tiring Buzzard side found one more score with Wilkinson outpacing the cover to score wide out and finish up a convincing win.

After the game skipper Zac Osborne was pleased with the display – “It was a great response after a poor result last week and the guys coming in to the side really put their hands up, it was important to bounce back and get the season back on track”