Maids' valiant performance

Saturday 7th November 2009

If you'd have offered Maids a 24-point losing margin before this game against a table-topping Phoenix 2nds averaging 85 points a game going into this fixture, they would probably have taken it. But after a valiant performance, the home side were left viewing this as a missed opportunity rather than an honourable defeat.

Once again, it was the impressive Maids pack that was the engine room, dominating the scrum as usual, holding their own in the lineout and scrapping for everything in the loose. Though lock Andy Wells took Maids' man-of-the-match award, it was unfair to ignore the mamoth contribution of every forward.

Apart from scrum-half Rick Thorley, the backs were not at their best, though they were missing a couple of key players. And but for a better handling, they could have had two tries out wide as the pack provided a perfect platform in the opening exchanges.

However, Phoenix did not get to the top of the league by accident and they were quick to punish any lapses in concentration, which they did to good effect to grab their three converted tries and a penalty.