A GAME of two contrasting halves delivered a first home victory for Maidenhead on Saturday, as they continued to build on last week’s away win at Gloucester Old Boys.
But it was not all good news, as Maidenhead coach Simon Edwards explained.
He said: “It was fantastic for 25 minutes. Our ball retention, recycling and phase-rugby was excellent. We controlled the game and played a very dynamic 15-man game.
“The backs were outstanding. They’re young backs with pace, and they were making good decisions.”
Those decisions allowed Maids to establish an unassailable 33-0 lead with little more than 30 minutes on the clock.
But the second half was very different matter.
Edwards said: “I was very disappointed for myself and the crowd. We deteriorated to their level.
“What their coach did at half-time was exactly what I would have done.
“He said ‘We’re in for a dicking here, lets cheat like mad and try and stop an avalanche.’”
The most evident change was that Keynsham began to take scrums against the head, keeping Maids penned inside their own half.
Keynsham’s scrummaging technique had not changed dramatically however, just their hooking.
Edwards explained: “The six against the head on the scrummaging just doesn’t happen these days.
“It was rugby league hooking, which is illegal and dangerous. It’s appalling that the ref let it go on. There’s your problem.
“There was a lot of tactical cheating going on and some strange refereeing decisions.
“Having said that, we also went off the boil. The forwards were appalling in the second half.
“We already had it won, but we had too many hanging off and not enough going in and getting the ball.
“We have to take games like that by the scruff of the neck.”
At least the backs escaped criticism however, with Edwards adding: “They didn’t get the ball! There’s nothing they could do.”

Maidenhead have a blank fixture this week, but are back in league action in a week’s time when they entertain Oxford Harlequins.