The home side were on the score board inside two minutes. Having been awarded a scrum some twenty metres form the visitors try line, a clean strike by hooker Ben Sedler gave scrum half Alex Barnett a chance to move the ball wide. Good hands from the two centres, Michael Rubber and Simon Standfast meant the Thatcham defence had to regroup quickly and with full back Matthew Wardle joining the three-quarters, the overlap was created. Wardle dummied to winger Greg Burgess on his outside and skipped past the last man for the opening try.

Maids’ pack were dominant in every department and both props James Emmanuel and Neils Pedersen worked tirelessly in the tight to secure plenty of possession. From a Thatcham scrum, Sedler struck against the head, his pack strong enough to secure the ball. Barnett and his outside half Peter Neill again moved the ball wide. The centres were again flawless as a well timed pass found David Geneen eagerly accepting the challenge to score his first try. Wardle converted and the score was 12-0 to the Braywick side.

Two minutes later, Geneen was flying again. Another impressive move through the backs saw him take on the full back and beat him for speed on the outside. Wardle again converted for a 19-0 lead. Having been awarded a line out on half way, Adrian Griffiths rose high to take a clean catch. Keeping ball in hand, Barnett fed his backs at every opportunity. Again Neil, Rubber and Standfast did not disappoint as they showed off their slick handling skills. Wardle had again joined the line to make the extra man and his well timed run allowed him to lunge for the line to score his second try of the match.

Thatcham showed brief glimpses of form but their midfield efforts seemed to evaporate in the heat of Maids tackling. Second row forwards Henry Newcome and Grant Shearer controlled the driving mauls, while flanker Jamie Plumer read the game well popping up in support whenever needed. It was Plumer’s pass that released inside centre Rubber in his own half. Rubber took on his opposite number and when finally tackled, secured the ball for Barnett to use quickly. Right wing Burgess took the ball on, passing back to Barnett in support. As the scrum half was tackled by the Thatcham full back, Burgess was again in the right place to accept the pass for a neat try.

With half time approaching, Maids scored again with Geneen completing his hat trick. After the home side had been awarded a five metre scrum, a well coached move had the Thatcham defence totally confused as they scrambled to try and get a piece of the flying winger, but there was no stopping him in this form. The try was converted by Wardle to post a 36-0 half time score.

Thatcham tried to rally in the second half, but the Braywick side’s defence stood firm. Excellent tackles from Emmanuel, Shearer and Plumer kept the visitors at bay as the home pack continued to dominate. Keeping the ball tight, excellent ground was made with driving mauls, Ross Carne and Harrison Shire getting in on the act, and after several phases, Ed Wilding scored a forwards try diving over from close range.

Maids found it difficult to reproduce the standard of flowing rugby that they had shown in the first half, but when they did run the ball, it was the irrepressible Geneen who was on hand to finish the move, scoring superbly in the corner from Wardle’s well timed pass. Prop forward Emmanuel scored a well deserved try from close range before Geneen completed the rout to post his fifth, and the team’s tenth try of the match as Maids finished up 56-0 victors. This was an impressive start to the Berkshire League by the under 13 team and will give them confidence as they take on Redingensians away in two weeks time.