Match report courtesy of the

Saturday 17th February 2007

Maidenhead's play-off hopes were destroyed at The Hayfields on Saturday when a big, confident Cleve team finally hit their straps with a devastating 15-minute, four-try burst which knocked the stuffing out of the visitors.

Maids had started this do-or-die clash well and were 17-10 to the good with 42 minutes on the clock, but in injury time they conceded two tries, and then another two within 10 minutes of the restart which saw them 38-17 behind and staring down the barrel with 30 minutes remaining. It was a harsh lesson in not turning over possession, keeping it simple and taking your chances. Although Maids showed plenty of fight and enterprise, the ball was held in the forwards too long and when it did go down the line, the backs over-elaborated as they tried to play catch-up.

However, it all started so differently when, after Cleve took a 3-0 lead thanks to a penalty from kicking machine Luke Cozens, the visitors scored perhaps their try of the season on eight minutes. A Stuart Mackay hand-off created space to pass to Max Willcocks who delivered an inside ball to Dan Martin coming in on the angle. He eventually off-loaded to full-back Joe Plamus who sprinted in under the posts for a memorable touchdown. Mackay converted. With both teams looking dangerous with ball in hand, it was not a surprise that there were plenty of points to come. Following a period when Maids' defence was severely tested, and Cleve were held up over the line, the hosts finally bagged their first touchdown when a catch and drive from a line-out allowed Simon Gulley score from close range. Cozens converted for 10-7.

But Maids were soon back on the try hunt, and following a penalty from Mackay which levelled proceedings, the visitors retook the lead on 25 minutes. No.8 Greg Riley intercepted a long pass from Cozens and, with the Cleve defence flat footed, sprinted half the length of the pitch to score. Mackay again converted. As the match approached half-time, Maids lost the services of hooker Richie Craig for 10 minutes to a yellow card, and permanently Tim Grove to a head injury and Martin to a back problem. While this left uncontested scrums, probably to Maids' advantage, the visitors were constantly on the backfoot, and finally cracked in time added on. Gulley got his second touchdown following another catch and drive and then on 45 minutes Cleve won turnover ball and exploited some weak tackling for fullback Richard Catt to join the line and score a converted try for 24-17 at the break.

Despite having the wind behind them in the second half, Maids never found their rhythm and never recovered from conceding two more quick tries, one from a pushover and another from an excellent counterattack, both finished off by Jack Bentall. Cozens did the necessary with the conversions for 38-10 after 50 minutes.

To Maids' credit they did not buckle, and tried to get back in the match, but playing catch-up forced errors and a no-nonsense approach from the hosts ensured Maids never had a sniff as the clock ran down. Cozens completed an exemplary kicking performance with a well taken drop-goal just before Maids finished the match with 14 players as Mark Parkhouse got involved in a bout of fisticuffs with up to four Cleve players. Like Maids on the day, he came off battered, bruised and second best.

Cleve:
Catt, Pritchard, Setherton, Hill, Ajuwa, Cozens, Martens, Wilson, Parfitt, O'Donnell, Horman, Hunt, Bentall, Gulley, Yates. Subs: Thomas, Down, Lear.

Maidenhead:
Plamus, Cripps, Hammond, Willcocks, Mackay, Martin, Edwards, Grove, Craig, Johnston, Gallina, Mueller, Windeyer, Parkhouse, Riley. Subs: Blackwell (for Grove, 30), Swadling (for Martin, 38), Gull (for Riley, 59).