A “friendly” day at the park
On Thursday night The Buccs league match against Heath was called off due to Heath not being able to raise a team to travel to Brantingham so a hastily arranged “friendly” against premiership leaders Sheffield was sorted! Sheffield’s only defeat this season had come at the hands of The Buccs back in November at Brantingham Park and they’d be surely out to show that was a one off…..
From the start both teams tried to assert dominance with the packs not giving an inch but The Buccs back line clicked into gear faster and within five minutes of the game kicking off good hands found multi position player Rhys Phillips out the wing who stepped his man and powered over the line for his first Buccs try, conversion missed 5 - 0. The try gave Sheffield the kick start they needed and from the restart they smashed into The Buccs, they somehow won the ball back and marched into The Buccs’s 22 with good forward drives & smart back play led by their tricky 10. From a series of persistent penalties Full back Lewis Parkinson was the first Bucc in the bin for the day following on the from the yellow card, Sheffield tapped and went and dubiously dotted down, conversion slotted 5 - 7 Sheffield. The Buccs ten Sam Hassard put a cracking restart kick and flanker Jack pinder went flying high into the air to compete for the ball which came back The Buccs way! The Buccs this week decided to play the phases and pulled the Sheffield team around the park, eventually the ball went out wide and right to hit winger Alfie Celella who danced round his winger and hit the gas to score in the corner, conversion missed 10 - 7 The Buccs. Sheffield put a high short restart which was well taken by the phantom bottom pincher Dan Pinder, a number of good interplay passes hit blindside flanker Luke Mackey who smashed through a gap and surged up the pitch with support coming in debutant scrum half Jack “choppy” Grundy the ball went left and again some great tight interplay passing found Bucc stalwart Will “Frodo” Gaunt who smashed over the line, conversion missed 15 - 7 The Buccs. Sheffield did a carbon copy of their first try for their second, good restart kick, loads of pressure, good forward runs, tricky ten making breaks and another dubious grounding, conversion slotted 15 - 14. With five minutes of the half to go The Buccs were handed another yellow card with prop Adam Thornton on the receiving end for what the ref judged a team yellow for too many penalties! Some juggling around meant Will Edwards came on at prop and Rhys dropped into the dug-out so The Buccs had a full pack. This was a smart call because from a penalty for holding on by Sheffield, The Buccs kicked deep to the corner! A good line out catch by Harvey Robson and The Buccs pack drove to the line with a powerful driving maul, a ton of bodies flopped over the line and the ref signalled try! Who should pop up with ball in his hands none other than master William Gaunt! His second of the day! On his fourth attempt Jacob Edwards slotted the conversion 22 - 14 and the ref blew for half time.
The half time talk was about not dropping off in the second half like we did against Scunny and raising our levels higher & keep doing what we are doing.
The second half started like the first, both teams going at each other and not giving an inch. Sheffield however scored first with good hands and a great break by their open-side flanker, they flung the ball out wide and hit their winger who dotted down in the corner! The ten had brought his kicking boots today and slotted the conversion from out wide 22 - 21! A one point game! The Buccs however were brimming with confidence and were playing some really good rugby, you might even say sensible rugby! Building the phases, utilising both forwards and backs it was a joy to watch! With play moving into Sheffields 22, Sam Hassard chipped the oncoming defence and chased after his own kick knowing BP has massive in-goal areas, he outpaced the Sheffield winger, collected the chipped ball and dotted down! Conversion slotted 29 - 21! The coaching team heard Will Gaunt shout to his mates not to switch off and allow Sheffield to come back and score which is what had happened throughout the match! Sheffield restarted and Will “pube” Dearing decided to knee the ball back to them, Sheffield regathered and for the next five minutes The Buccs couldn’t get the ball off Sheffield who used good interplay between their huge front five, in the process of all this interplay The Buccs lost influential skipper Pete McGlynn to their third yellow of the day for what was deemed a high shot! Eventually the play ended up on The Buccs line and after a series of battering runs Sheffield dotted down again with the conversion slotted! 29 - 28! Back to a one point game! Even down to fourteen men which they had been for the majority of the game The Buccs kept playing some really smart rugby and eventually after McGlynn was called back on after serving his ten minutes The Buccs found themselves with a penalty 5 yards out. The Buccs go to penalty move this season has been “sarries” and from the call McGlynn smashed over the line! Conversion missed 34 - 28! With five minutes to go the game hung in the balance with both teams knowing whoever got a seven pointer could win the game! With that in mind when The Buccs were awarded a penalty right in front of the sticks, certain players thought the kick to the corner was the right call! But coach Zgoda informed master William Gaunt that points win prizes and told Jacob Edwards to take the three knowing that even with a seven pointer Sheffield couldn’t win! Edwards slotted the points 37 - 28 to The Buccs! Oh how those three points were the right call (I told you so Gaunty)!!! From the restart Sheffield chased the game knowing a seven pointer would put them back within two and that the refs watch all game had seemed way out of official timings so they may even have a chance to win it with extra time! To their credit they played some really good rugby, marched up the pitch and put their hooker into space who slid over! Conversion slotted 37 - 35 and ref said five to go with 40 mins played on everyone else’s watch’s, sun-dials, official scoreboard and microwave oven in Bob’s kitchen! For five long nervy minutes The Buccs held out knowing that this would be a huge confidence booster with them having to still go to Sheffield to play them in the league and may even face them in play off’s if the Buccs stay in fourth spot. From a great turnover by Dan “Pincher” Pinder the ball was passed back to Hassard who dutifully kicked the ball out to end the game! The Buccs give Sheffield their second defeat of the season.
It was a performance full of heart and character for this young side especially as they played thirty minutes of the match with fourteen men!
FOTM - Luke - some great carries & resolute defence all game
BOTM - Choppy - Great debut at 9, positive all game & brave in defence
MOTM - Frodo Gaunt - whatever Gandalf gave
him this morning he needs to take it each week! Great defence, good link play in attack & Bilbo baggins’d himself two tries
Well done fellas!!