Buxton Thirds 29 Old Bedians 10
Match report to follow, but another huge effort by the Thirds after all the turmoil of the past couple of days.
A big thank you to all the Buxton players (second team especially) turned out of Bedians who arrived with 11 players and a dodgy front row.
You led the Thirds to a great victory today. Despite all the shit you had to put up with yesterday and this morning you got your team sorted and played a blinder yourself. We salute you Captain our Captain, we are proud to play for you.
The trusty boot of Tim (JW) Charles makes him top points scorer but Tom Edge is leading try scorer with 2. Which i'm told is 2 more than his dad ever scored !!
T Charles 16
T Edge 10
S Gyte, G Strattford, N Bennison, Wain jnr & Lomas all on 5
Buxton 44 Sandbach 8
Buxton recorded there first win of the season against a combative Sandbach side that fought hard all afternoon but ran out of stream in the second half. Sandbach arrived with only one prop and so in order to keep the scrums contested Buxton players Rose and Fussell played a half each for Sandbach in the front row.
It was an edgy start by Buxton. However they soon began to dominate the scrums and with Stratford controlling things at half back and Poole making a welcome return in the centres Buxton began to edge the possession and territory.
A series of drives took the thirds into the Sandbach twenty two and with Sandbach living on the edge of the offside rule a penalty was inevitable. Charles stepped up and slotted the points.
Buxton fumbled the ball at the kick off and Sandbach got some rare clean ball. They used it effectively but first Ritchie and then Graham hauled down his opposite number and Dilworth scavenged possession with Poole making the clearance kick. Taylor stole the line out and Buxton rumbled their way back into Sandbach territory. Wit Preece taking over at scrum half, quick passing gave Stratford a sniff of an opening and he glided through for Buxton’s first try.
With Bearman, Edge and Fussell controlling things upfront, Sandbach were living off scraps and for much of the half kicked the ball into the Buxton half, only for the excellent and secure Moss to run the ball back at them. Eventually they strung a move together and managed to conjure a try from the bits and pieces and converted a penalty to level the scores.
As half time loomed Edge who had been impressive all afternoon both in the loose and set piece crashed over for a try and Charles slotted the conversion. Buxton turned round 15-8 ahead at half time.
Rose came back to join the Buxton scrum and Fussell went off to shore up the Sandbach effort. Buxton began to dominate the lose with the backrow winning the battle of the break down. The changes at half time worked well and with Bennison exploiting weaknesses with aggressive and strong running he exploited space down the wing to burn off the cover defence and put Wain in the clear for an excellently taken try after mesmerising the Sandbach defence for one of his own.
Sandbach were staring over the precipice as in between the forwards got in on the act. First Allen and Charles drove off the back of a scrum only for Charles to be turned over on his back as he crossed the line. The relief for Sandbach was temporary. The thirds edged their way back and a thundering scrum from five metres out gave Charles the score that the pack wanted and minutes later Edge bounced off the defence for his second. Buxton were not finished and after a trademark Preece break had seemed to come to nothing, the omnipresent Charles found his backs and Lomas burst through the defence for a try.
Beeley made an impact in the second half splintering the defence and sapping the fight from Sandbach and Dan Gyte was at his bruising best for fifty minutes. The Thirds defence lead by the Skipper Allen was hard and robust through out. All in all an excellent performance, hopefully the first of many.
Training Monday and Thursday 7.00pm at the Club. Be there if you can.
Buxton were; Bearman, Edge, Fussell (Rose 40mins), McNicholas, Taylor(Dilworth 40mins), Dilworth (Beeley 40mins), Allen, Charles, Bennison (Preece 20mins), Stratford, Ritchie (Wain 40mins), Poole, Graham (Bennison 20mins) Gyte (Lomas 55mins), Moss
Buxton 3rd XV 0, Knutsford 2nd XV 29
This was a greatly improved performance by the thirds, helped by an injection of Youth, against a Knutsford side that had put 69 points on Sandbach the previous weekend. The introduction of Joe Lomas, Kieran Wain and Nick Ritchie for their third team debuts boosted the side. They all played outstandingly well and made significant contributions at key moments.
A new look front row of Edge, the veteran Uprichard and Rabbitts dominated their opposite numbers and the Buxton scrum provided a plentiful source of possession all afternoon.
At times Buxton’s tackling and commitment was outstanding. Charles covered acres of ground and Allen put in some telling hits. One in particular drove back the Knutsford scrum half 15 metres. Fussell and Taylor, and then Dilworth worked hard In the second row to give a solid platform.
Knutsford found it hard to break Buxton down through the centres, Lomas and Wain putting in tackle after tackle.
Bennison was excellent at full back. He was poised and secure under the high ball and counter attacked effectively gaining hard won yards for the thirds. Geoff Ritchie tackled well all afternoon, and Nick Ritchie had a couple of useful counterattacks.
Graham and Stratford worked smoothly together but though chances were created the thirds could not capitalise and get on the score sheet. Even the introduction of Gyte in the second half could not provide the necessary spark.
In the end Buxton failed to play to their strengths, and despite the possession won could not capitalise on this. The only way forward is to work it out on the training park, Monday’s and Thursday’s 7.00pm up at Sunnyfield. All players, young, old , experienced or inexperienced welcome. Give Chris a call on 07764269273.
Buxton were: Edge, Uprichard, Rabbitts, Fussell, Taylor (Dilworth), Allen, Dilworth (Gyte), Charles, Graham, G Ritchie, Joe, Wain, N Ritchie, Bennison
The thirds opened their league campaign with a bare fifteen and came up against a well-drilled youthful Congleton side full of inventive running and with plenty of subsitutes. The game began with Buxton dominating the opening exchanges. From the kick off Buxton hammered into their opposition. The veteran Gyte knocked back a couple with big hits and a series of drives took Buxton deep into the Congleton 22. Fussell made a powerful run through several defenders and the ball was recycled with first Charles and then Barber having a go. Buxton opted for a scrum instead of a penalty and despite the ball being scrappy they held onto possession and set the ball up again. Gyte using his experience and power crashed over to open the scoring and Charles slotted the extras.
Congleton hit back through some scrappy Buxton defence. An innocuous scrum forty metres out turned into a nightmare for the thirds as the Congleton scrum half spotted a gap and raced through to score. Though they failed with the conversion it was just a taste of things to come. Lack of pre season training and advancing years took their toll, as Congleton lapped up the possession and though sheer pace out wide were able to run in a stack of tries.
As usual there was no lack of effort from the thirds. Captain Allen led by example and he Charles and Barber tackled themselves to a standstill. Bennison was outstanding all afternoon, whether running the ball out of defence or putting in try saving tackles
Buxton had chances. In the dying moments of the first half, Preece spotted a gap and was clean through only to trip, the ball being lost before the support arrived. A half break by Graham was carried on by Weston but with a overlap and Ritchie and Dawson out wide he failed to make the pass and the move died.
The last ten minutes saw Buxton defending their line heroically. They snuffed out wave after wave of attacking moves. Uprichard put in a try saving tackle and Bearman and Dilworth spoiled much of Congleton’s possession on the ground.
The lineout function effectively with Taylor winning some ball, but his untimely injury disrupted things and limited the options. Dawson showed briefly what he could do but had little in the way of possession to build on it. Ritchie never gave up and fitted into the back row in the last few minutes as injuries began to mount.
Though disappointed by the result the thirds should take heart from a brave performance. The defence improved dramatically in the second half and on the little possession that they had they created opportunities and were never afraid to take the ball to the opposition. If they are to turn things round however they need to work some of the basics out on the training field on Mondays and Thursdays 7.00pm at the club.
Buxton Thirds were; Bearman,Uprichard,Fussell,Barber,Dilworth,Gyte,Allen ©,Charles,Preece, Graham, Dawson, Weston, Ritchie, Taylor, Bennison
