Match report courtesy of the

Maids grab historic double over Mounts Bay

Saturday 31st March 2007

MAIDENHEAD gate-crashed Mounts Bay's championship party on Saturday as they consigned the newly-crowned league winners to their first home defeat in two years and in doing so completed the double over their much-heralded rivals.

This was the classic game of two-halves and was influenced by the stiff breeze that blew directly down the ground. Maids made the best of the conditions to scrape past their rivals by a single point.

This was a hugely impressive victory for Maids who won without their talisman and leading try-scorer Max Willcocks, and in doing so became the first team since Falmouth in 2003, to beat the Cornishmen twice in a season. Mounts Bay ran out to the sound of "stand up for the champions" which would have only served to harden Maids' resolve, and for the first five minutes it was the visitors who looked every inch the champions.

So it was no surprise when they took an early lead when the quick feet of Stuart Mackay saw him skip past two tacklers and score an unconverted try. Maids were firmly in control of every aspect of the game and went further ahead after 18 minutes when Mark Ruddick's up and under caused confusion in the retreating Bay defence. Dan Martin gathered and burst down the right where he found winger Simon Cripps who crashed in for an unconverted try to put Maids 10-0 ahead.

Despite some dogged defence from the champions, Maids refused to be denied and scored again before half-time. This time it was Joe Plamus who finished off a slick backs' move, hitting the line like a steam train to put Maids 15-0 ahead at the break.

But Bay are champions for a reason and they signalled their intent after five minutes of the second half when flanker Everard Reid stretched a long arm to the line to give his side hope. James Semmens added the conversion and it was game on. Maids still looked dangerous even though they lost star centre Jonny Hammond at half-time, but Semmens pegged them back with a penalty to close the gap to five.

Maids almost extended their lead when a darting break from Gareth Edwards was held up just short, however the scrum-half did enough to earn a penalty in front of the posts. Ruddick stepped up and crucially opened up an eight-point margin.

That might have been game over but Bay hit back with a converted try from Ben Hilton. But that was as good as it got for Bay as Maids held on for a famous win.