Maidenhead 3rds 27 v Grove 12
Saturday 3rd March 2007

Nice day for a game of Rugby even if you don't have a full strength side out and need to use all your substitutes. Add to that a comfortable win and the beers taste even better afterwards in the clubhouse.

It didn't start very well with Maidenhead losing the first set scrum against the head, but some strong running out of defence by the backs and particularly the full back, Chris Richardson coming into the line very effectively pushed the play down to the Grove 22 metres. A line out followed and Maidenhead went ahead when Mike Anthony took the ball at the front and slipped it to Steve Bourne who went over in the corner.

It seemed as though Maidenhead had learned a few lessons and were now committing more men to the rucks and mauls than in some previous games, but were lucky not to concede a try under the posts when Grove knocked on after a good driving maul. Now all of a sudden Maidenhead were being pushed back on their own put-in and Grove were deep into the Maidenhead half. But then right out of the blue and under a lot of pressure the backs moved the ball along the line with crisp sensible handling, found a gap and thanks to good support running and offloading before the opposition tackles came in put Tim Richardson free on the half way line from where he ran in the best try of the day. Conversion missed, but never mind 12 - 0 to Maidenhead whose backs were looking dangerous whenever they got the ball. It's a simple game, pass, draw the man, pass etc. etc. and the backs were doing it.

The next try came from the forwards, a drive into the Grove 22 and Bourne crashes over for try close to the posts, which Rob Wilkins slotted over to put Maidenhead 17 - nil up.

The half ended with Maidenhead deep in their own 22 but well worth the lead with good rucks and mauls, and excellent back play marred only by a number of well worked breaks failing because the man with the ball wasn't looking for support. Heads up Rugby?

The first 10 minutes of the second half were pretty scrappy until Grove trundled their way down to the Maidenhead line and eventually went over under the posts for a typical forwards try, making the score now 17 - 7 to Maidenhead.

Maidenhead then seemed go to sleep, too many people standing watching the rucks and mauls and waiting for something to happen, lots of missed first-up tackles, and back in their own 22, clearing kicks that didn't relieve the pressure.

Then about half way through the second half we had what now seems to be the mandatory mass scuffle that ruffled a few feathers but didn't result in any yellow or red cards. Problem was another try by Grove and the game would take on a very different complexion.

But the backs were still playing well despite being disrupted by injuries and when Rob Wilkins put over a penalty for offside the score went to 20 - 7.

More Maidenhead pressure and John Sudbury put a well-weighted kick down into the left hand corner and after the ball ran free Lester Martin picked it up and decided to run across the full width of the pitch and kick ahead over the Grove line. The ball then bounced on its point, fooling all the defensive cover and enabling Dave Williams to drop on it for a try. Have never seen that in the coaching manuals but who cares! 27 - 7 Game over! Well not quite.

From a 22 metre drop out Grove collected the ball, ran through a few tackles and scored in the corner making the final score 27 - 12 to Maidenhead.

A fair result and a good result. The forwards gave plenty of good ball to the backs who ran well, passed well and did the simple things well.

Alex Mayers of Penn Motor Company Man of the match :
Steve Bourne

Written by David (Scoop) Anthony