Buccs v Driffield

On a glorious, sunny early-October Saturday afternoon, a packed Brantingham Park welcomed the Buccaneers and Driffield for the Buccs’ first-ever home fixture in Yorkshire Two.

Both sides had made impressive starts to their league campaigns the previous weekend, recording convincing victories against first-team opposition, so everything was set for an intriguing local encounter.

With a big home crowd behind them and plenty of excitement surrounding the Buccs’ long-awaited arrival in the Yorkshire leagues, the stage was set for a cracking local derby.

The Buccs started brightly, playing some lovely rugby through the back line, and within three minutes winger Alfie Celella had crossed in the corner for the opening try. The conversion was missed, but the Buccs had made the perfect start: 5–0.

Driffield responded with their familiar approach, using their big ball carriers to try to punch holes in the Buccs’ defence. But, just as they had the previous week, the Buccs produced an outstanding defensive effort, with skipper Zen Rozenbroek leading from the front and putting in some bone-crunching hits on the Driffield pack.

When Driffield knocked on, the Buccs reacted quickly, scooping up the loose ball and attacking deep into the visitors’ 22. After a number of well-worked phases, fly-half Charlie Cook spotted a gap and skipped through the Driffield defence to score. Cook added the conversion to his own try and the Buccs had stretched their early advantage to 12–0.

The early onslaught seemed to galvanise Driffield, however, and the momentum of the game began to swing back in their favour. Their outstanding full-back, Tom Brankley, began to lead the charge, repeatedly finding gaps in the Buccs’ defence.

The Buccs were then punished in quick succession, conceding two kickable penalties which the Driffield fly-half duly slotted to reduce the deficit to 12–6.

As both kicks sailed between the posts, the home crowd could see Rozenbroek barking out instructions to his men, demanding they take back control of the game.

With that little “pep talk” ringing in their ears, the Buccs duly responded. Strong carries from second-row Benn Wilson and flanker Mason Bradley drove the home side back into the Driffield 22, and this time the skipper decided to lead by example.

Rozenbroek took the ball at pace and smashed his way through two or three would-be tacklers before diving over for his first Buccs try of the season. The conversion was missed, but the Buccs had reasserted themselves and restored a healthy advantage: 17–6.

In the final minutes of the half, the Buccs kept their cool and opted to take an easy three points, continuing to press their advantage and build the scoreline. Cook duly slotted the penalty to make it 20–6

The Buccs then secured their fourth try of the afternoon and the four-try bonus point to go with it, in spectacular fashion. After another devastating run by Rozenbroek, the skipper produced a sumptuous offload to hooker Brad Parker, who raced over in the far corner. Cook added the conversion to give the Buccs a commanding 27–6 lead at the break.

The half time team talk was once again positive like last week! Three voices only…. Head coach Zgoda, Rozenbroek’s & Cooks and it was basically tighten the gaps in defence, watch out for the offloads and keep our tackles down.

While the first half had been a spectacle of open, attacking rugby, the second half, for whatever reason, didn’t quite have the same flow. Was it the heat? Surely not….. the Buccs are a fit side. Was it the referee trying his best to bring Driff back into the game? Maybe! Or was it simply Driff refusing to give up? Definitely.

However, from one piece of broken play, the ball reached the silky-smooth fullback Lewis “Rolls Royce” Parkinson, who set off on one of his trademark mazy runs upfield. The Royce beat two defenders with ease before delicately chipping the ball over his opposite man. As the ball bounced, Parkinson flicked it up with his boot and somehow gathered it one-handed. The crowd gasped as he looked to have lost it, before cheering as he regathered and dotted down to finish a quite brilliant individual try.

It was Parkinson’s third try in just two league matches, with Cook adding the extras to stretch the Buccs’ lead to 34–6.

Credit must be given to Driffield, who kept slogging away but once again they found themselves pinned back inside their own 22 and under huge pressure. After a series of powerful carries from the Buccs forwards close to the Driffield line, scrum-half Alex Edwards spotted his opportunity and dived over from the base of a ruck. Cook once again added the extras to take the score to 41–6.

In the dying minutes, their outstanding fullback Brankley produced a wonder try to rival Parkinson’s effort earlier in the half. Their ten added the conversion, bringing an entertaining afternoon of rugby to a close with a final score of Buccaneers 41–13 Driffield.

Plenty of players put their hands up for Man of the Match. Cook had a fine game controlling proceedings at ten, while the home crowd were certainly baying for “Rolls Royce” Parkinson after another eye-catching display from fullback.

However, the deserved MOTM award went to the outstanding skipper, Zen Rozenbroek. He led from the front all afternoon with some brutal defence, outstanding ball carrying and a try of his own to cap a hugely impressive individual performance.

Final Score: Buccaneers 41–13 Driffield

Match Report by Dan Zgoda