Match report and picture courtesy of the

Mighty Maids put Spartans to sword

MAIDENHEAD dismantled Spartans in an awesome display of firepower at Braywick on Saturday. Rarely has a victory been so comprehensive, as the hosts overcame some spirited resistance from the visiting pack before tearing them apart with some slick running rugby and clinical finishing.

There was no hint of what was to come in the opening few minutes, however, as Spartans made an energetic start and took an early three-point lead through the boot of scrum-half Bird. The score galvanised Maids who went close to scoring straight from the restart, but centre Simon Cripps spilled the ball in a tackle just five metres short of the line. Several promising attacks broke down over the following 10 minutes, until a fine move from a four-man lineout produced Maids’ opening try.

Paul Jones made the break close to the back of the line and drew two defenders before slipping the ball inside to flanker Will Lowden, who scorched away from the cover to touch down just to the right of the posts. Mark Ruddick miscued the conversion, but it mattered not, as within minutes Maids had eased away from their visitors with another try from Lowden, this time converted by Ruddick for a 12-3 lead.

From the restart a very simple pattern of play began to develop. Spartans would kick the ball to Maidenhead, who would run it back into their opponents 22 before spinning it wide for a try near the posts. Ruddick would kick the conversion, and the whole vicious circle would begin again.

Kiwi winger Adam Ellwood benefited from one such move to make it 19-3 on 18 minutes. With the win now looking a formality, Maids were given a further boost when the Spartans loose-head prop Howe was yellow-carded for injudicious use of his studs. In his absence, fullback Joe Plamus scored a quickfire brace, carrying two tacklers over the line on both occasions to establish a 31-3 lead at the break.

The second half was little more than a procession of scores, four of them going to half-time substitute Mark Mueller, who seemed keen to make up ground on the club’s leading try-scorer Piers Morgan, who he had replaced. His first came within a minute of the kick-off. Jake Cassidy then capped a fine game in the No.10 shirt with a score in the corner. Mueller bagged his second try courtesy of the fearsomely pacey Lowden, before Jonny Hammond joined the try-fest with a superb individual effort from the 10metre line.

Stuart Mackay then capped an exhilarating performance on the wing with a touchdown right under the posts, converted by Ruddick to give Maids a 64-3 lead. And so it continued, with Lowden and Mueller completing their hat-tricks, before feisty hooker Richie Craig bagged a well-deserved try of his own. Mueller went it alone to grab his fourth try of the afternoon on 77 minutes, before debutant Plamus scored his third try in added time to make it 97-3.

With the crowd screaming for more, the referee decided enough was enough and put Spartans out of their misery with the final whistle. Quite what conclusions Maids can draw from such a one-sided contest is unclear. However, it was – at the very least – extraordinarily good fun to watch.

Maidenhead: Plamus, Mackay, Hammond, Cripps, Ellwood, Cassidy, Ruddick, Blackwell, Craig, Riley, Gallina, Jones, Vorster, Lowden, Morgan. Subs: Grove (for Blackwell), Mueller (for Morgan), Lynch (for Vorster).
Spartans: Crowley, Andrews, Parks, Williams, Norton, Gribbon, Bird, Howe, Rowlands, Smith, Dodsworth, Cowles, Webb, Fisher, Patterson. Subs: Mutuma, Fowke, Koijman.

Edwards disappointed
SATURDAY’s record league win over Spartans gave little cheer to Maidenhead coach Simon Edwards, who believes his side should have done better.

Commenting on the opposition, Edwards said: "They were competitive in the tight five, but beyond that.....well. They came with the side they had, and we did what we had to do." Discussing his own team’s performance he added: "What I learned from the game was that Spartans went 3-0 up, then we missed four or five chances in the next 10 minutes. "That’s not good enough. If we miss four or five chances against Abbey we’ll lose."

Indeed, tomorrow’s clash with Reading Abbey, kick-off 2.15pm, is clearly an important one for Edwards, who seems to relish the cut and thrust of local derbies. He said: "It’s classic derby. We all know each other well. "And according to their website all the games they have lost so far they should have won. So they’re going to win one eventually. "They haven’t beaten us for a very long time, but at their place they must be verging on favourites.

They’ve had some good results there. They beat Chinnor and they ran Weston close, which is something we haven’t managed to do." Abbey are clearly undaunted by Maidenhead’s superior league position, as their website states: "Abbey remain well clear of the bottom four in the league, and will have no fears for the remaining games, where seven fixtures from the remaining eight can be seen as winnable."

Edwards commented: "They must have us down as a banker then. That’s very brave. "For us it’s just another game. It’s a game we would like to win if we’re going to try and finish in the top three, but it’s not one we have to win." Maidenhead may be without powerhouse lock Mark Mueller for the clash, which would be a blow for Edwards, as Abbey pride themselves on the strength of their pack. However, Edwards remained positive, adding: "I feel we’re good enough, and I always love going to Abbey."