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Ducks Improve Against League Leaders
With only three games before the Christmas break and points being vital to ensure survival in South West 2, it was a strengthened side that took to the field away to league leaders Redingensians, the Berkshire side were promoted into the Ducks league and have recruited wisely both locally and overseas, with their South African No. 10 particularly impressing.
It seemed that it could have become a long day for the visitors when some poor rucking led to the home side spinning the ball out wide for their winger to score in the corner, the conversion being missed. This was followed by some woeful tackling in midfield to allow the number 10 to waltz in under the posts, with the conversion being slotted to make the score 12-0, the Ducks were up against it.
But it was the men of Bucks who were next to get on the scoresheet though, the forwards began to exert pressure on the home side line with some excellent recycling and good build up play by scrum half Lala and fly-half Simon Roberts, this led to referee awarding a penalty try after winger Liam D’Almeida was adjudged to have been held back, with the conversion being slotted by full-back Horne, it meant that the men of Ostler’s Field were back in the game at 12-7 down.
They continued to exert pressure and this led to a penalty being awarded for lying on the ball, the kick was as coolly slotted as a South African fly-half slots drop-goals by Horne and the Ducks trailed 12-10, they were rattling the league leaders and if better hands had been shown by captain Andy Fleming, sponsored by Pharamnet, and flanker Sean English with clear two on ones, they would have taken the lead, this would really have put pressure on the home side.
This left the score the same 12-10 at half time.
With a real belief that with continued pressure up front in the forwards and better communication in defence and handling in attack in the backs that the away side could continue to belie their league position.
The beginning of the second-half was to blow that theory out of the water, when poor defence in the three-quarters led to the Redingensians winger scoring in the corner, this was followed a few minutes later by good recycling by the home side to create an overlap out wide for the same winger to score, only one of the try’s being converted.
The Ducks were fighting but ultimately were being let down by the backs and it was only a matter of time before the league leaders scored again with more good work in creating space out wide to enable their three quarters to cross the try line, with the conversion being scored, it left the score at a rather flattering 31-10.
This seemed to spur the Ducks into life and with great work by Jim Dodds, Joe Ranuaka and Simon Roberts it enabled the veteran 2nd row Dodds to put Colt Sean English in the corner, the tricky conversion being missed.
With ten minutes to go, stand in coach Gareth Williamson made three changes in bringing on Pietro Ranieri, David Payne and Stuart Laurie, the changes may have unsettled the Ducks as again poor defence in the backs allowed another score out wide, with the conversion being popped over it meant that the final score was 38-15
There were some plus point’s, all the forwards can hold their heads high, especially Fijan Zak and 2nd Rows Jim Dodds and Matt Short and also half-back pairing Lala and Simon Roberts.
It has become obvious over recent games that men of Ostler’s Field need to compete more in the backs, the forwards in most games are more than a match for the sides they have come up against, but when it comes to the backs they are coming up against bigger, stronger and quicker units and this is becoming a real burden to the team. This is something I am sure coach Mycroft is acutely aware of and will be working on for the rest of the season, beginning with the visit of fellow strugglers Windsor next Saturday, 2nd December.
1.Gardner
2.Sale
3.Padre
4.Short
5.Dodds
6.Nichols
7.English
8.Aisea
9.Lala
10.Roberts
11.D'Almeida
12.Ranuaku
13.Fleming
14.Suataka
15.Horne
16.Ranieri
17.Laurie
18.Payne
Next game Windsor Home 2nd December
Post edited by: deano, at: 2006/11/29 15:09
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