Old Bedians 3rd xv 5 Buxton 3rd xv10

Ali Bearman reports on a classic win for the Thirds, that lifts them off the bottom

Another lacklustre start from Buxton left the visitors with some desperate early defending against the Didsbury side. Crucially for the first time this season, Buxton’s line held with Rob Burton and Seth Jardin making their presence felt with ferocious hits on their opposite numbers and through the boot of Gaz Nicholls started to win the territorial battle. Buxton’s tight five was gradually gaining the upperhand in the scrummage and a soaring Matt Woodward was dominant in the line out.

2 five metre scrums were squandered by the Buxton side, but eventually a more patient approach paid dividends with Dan Rose crashing over from close range in the corner.

Unfortunately Buxton started the 2nd half poorly and Bedians were soon back on equal terms. Skipper Chris Allen rallied his men by running some short tap penalties straight at the opposition. A galvanised Buxton pack started to control the football and Paul Storer was prominent in driving the visitors relentlessly upfield. Uncontested scrums followed a Buxton scrum taking apart the home sides front row. Tom Edge and Tony Austin relieved of their set piece duties, took turns to burst through the midfield, deftly fed by Phil Preece’s relentlessly accurate service.

For long periods it looked like for all Buxton’s dominance, that they would not be able to put the game away. However a sweeping move which involved most of the side culminated in a wrapped up Craig Chapman managing to free his arms at the crucial moment to feed a rampaging Ali Bearman at full tilt, who bulldozed his way over the line for what was to be the decisive score.

Bedians, unwilling to take on an aggresive Buxton defence resorted to a kicking game. Buxton’s back 3 of Chris Ford, Geoff Ritchie and Mr Versality Tim Charles, proceeded to run the ball back with interest, and Buxton were camping on the visitors line when time ran out.

Buxton,
Bearman, Edge, Austin, Woodward, Rose, Allen, Chapman, Woodward, Preece, Ford,Nicholls, Burton,Jardin,Ritchie,Armitage