Buxton make hay in the Sun
Buxton rounded off their first season in the league with a resounding and emphatic win over bottom of the table Sandbach and gave Phil Preece the perfect retirement present as well as retaining the “boot”. It was vital that Buxton got off to a good start and from the off the pack asserted itself, the front row of Bearman, Uprichard and Wilkinson sorting out their opposite numbers. The thirds had a good supply of ball all game and this was a major building block in their victory. The first try came from a scrum. Buxton had worked their way into the Sandbach twenty-two with a series of drives through Charles, and Allen. With a scrum fifteen metres out Charles picked up from the base of the scrum and supported by the pack crashed over. The conversion was missed but the thirds had laid down a marker. Sandbach hit back with a soft try and for a few minutes Buxton lost concentration and focus. But with the forwards providing plenty of possession through the scrum and Taylor winning lots of ball in the lineout the backs began to make some ground. Stratford was in imperious form. His kicking to touch was excellent but it was with the ball in hand that he shone. With Preece providing him with sweet passes he varied his options nicely. A half break by Stratford put Weston in space and with tacklers hanging off him he found W Preece who slipped the ball inside to Bennison. On a firm pitch he burned off the remaining defence to score under the posts. Tim Charles added a conversion. Sandbach came back into the game and Dawson pulled of a couple of crucial tackles. Sandbach tried to breach the line through their forwards and after one effort they were held up just short of the line. In the end all they had to show from their efforts were three points from a penalty, but as the half came to a close it was Buxton who were in the ascendancy. From a lineout the pack marched Sandbach back thirty metres. They launched a series of attacks but could not make the final pass. Weston was unfortunately injured just before the end of the half and Buxton went into half time 12- 8 up.
Buxton dominated the second half. Wilkinson made some storming runs and Bosley broke through several tackles. Preece snipping from the base of the scrum made a twenty metre break but was hauled down just short of the line. Again Buxton set up camp on the Sandbach line and drove their pack back over the line to give Charles a simple score. He converted his own try.
Stratford began to run the defence ragged. One spectacular break made thirty metres as he weaved his way between would be tacklers. With only the full back to beat his speculative pass found a Sandbach player and the move died. Buxton continued to dominate and the backs began to punch holes in the Sandbach defence. Paul “Mincer” Robson glided through tacklers before coming to grief a few metres from the line and a trademark Preece break made thirty metres before being halted, The Sandbach line had to be breached eventually and it was Phil Preece who on sixty minutes found the key to unlock it. He spotted a gap after an off load from Charles and as Jason Robinson did for Sale on Friday night, scored a try on his last game for the thirds. The excellent Wilkinson was replaced by Fussell coming back on at tight head, and the Buxton scrum continued to force Sandbach back. Another sparkling back move instigated by the Preece Stratford axis put Wayne Preece over in the corner and the game was beyond the reach of Sandbach. Buxton continued to press. Stratford broke from the half way line finding Bennison in space. He made ground and passed to Dan Gyte. Taking the ball off his toes Gyte set the alarm bells ringing before being forced into touch. It was one of a number of strong runs by the ever-improving winger. Ritchie made some hard yards and McNicholas took over lineout duties from Taylor and carried on the excellent work. Stevie Gyte came on to replace the hard working Dilworth and put himself about with great effect.
It was an excellent way to round off the season. The thirds showed what they can do and have a lot to look forward to next season. Man of the match Phil Preece had an outstanding final game and he played more like a man who was starting the beginning of a thirty year playing career rather than ending it.
Bearman, Uprichard, Wilkinson (Fussell 60m), Dilworth (S Gyte 70m), Taylor, (McNicholas 40m) Allen, Fussell (Bosley 40m) Charles, Preece, Stratford, Dawson (Ritchie 55m), Weston (Robson 35m), W Preece, D Gyte, Bennison
Buxton 28
Tries, Charles 2, P Preece 1, W Preece 1, Bennison 1
Cons, Charles 2
Sandbach 8
Apres Match
Man of the Match was Phil Preece, though Gareth Stratford and Wilko ran him close.
TC was twat of the day - no competition for that one.
The Bearmonster made a nuisance of himself throughout court and the Mincer clearly fancies himself as a judge. The problem being though that no one has a clue what he is talking about.
Howie took some excellent photographs, even though he had only just got back from Bulgaria and was clearly suffering from some mystery virus.
Gytie was a little bit creative with the truth about a certain golf ball and a certain glass of black currant juice.
Wayne Dilworth needs to re read the list of things that you are not mean't to do on the night before an important game of rugby.
Can we please destroy all remaining bottles of that Chinese piss!
Buxton dominated the second half. Wilkinson made some storming runs and Bosley broke through several tackles. Preece snipping from the base of the scrum made a twenty metre break but was hauled down just short of the line. Again Buxton set up camp on the Sandbach line and drove their pack back over the line to give Charles a simple score. He converted his own try.
Stratford began to run the defence ragged. One spectacular break made thirty metres as he weaved his way between would be tacklers. With only the full back to beat his speculative pass found a Sandbach player and the move died. Buxton continued to dominate and the backs began to punch holes in the Sandbach defence. Paul “Mincer” Robson glided through tacklers before coming to grief a few metres from the line and a trademark Preece break made thirty metres before being halted, The Sandbach line had to be breached eventually and it was Phil Preece who on sixty minutes found the key to unlock it. He spotted a gap after an off load from Charles and as Jason Robinson did for Sale on Friday night, scored a try on his last game for the thirds. The excellent Wilkinson was replaced by Fussell coming back on at tight head, and the Buxton scrum continued to force Sandbach back. Another sparkling back move instigated by the Preece Stratford axis put Wayne Preece over in the corner and the game was beyond the reach of Sandbach. Buxton continued to press. Stratford broke from the half way line finding Bennison in space. He made ground and passed to Dan Gyte. Taking the ball off his toes Gyte set the alarm bells ringing before being forced into touch. It was one of a number of strong runs by the ever-improving winger. Ritchie made some hard yards and McNicholas took over lineout duties from Taylor and carried on the excellent work. Stevie Gyte came on to replace the hard working Dilworth and put himself about with great effect.
It was an excellent way to round off the season. The thirds showed what they can do and have a lot to look forward to next season. Man of the match Phil Preece had an outstanding final game and he played more like a man who was starting the beginning of a thirty year playing career rather than ending it.
Bearman, Uprichard, Wilkinson (Fussell 60m), Dilworth (S Gyte 70m), Taylor, (McNicholas 40m) Allen, Fussell (Bosley 40m) Charles, Preece, Stratford, Dawson (Ritchie 55m), Weston (Robson 35m), W Preece, D Gyte, Bennison
Buxton 28
Tries, Charles 2, P Preece 1, W Preece 1, Bennison 1
Cons, Charles 2
Sandbach 8
Apres Match
Man of the Match was Phil Preece, though Gareth Stratford and Wilko ran him close.
TC was twat of the day - no competition for that one.
The Bearmonster made a nuisance of himself throughout court and the Mincer clearly fancies himself as a judge. The problem being though that no one has a clue what he is talking about.
Howie took some excellent photographs, even though he had only just got back from Bulgaria and was clearly suffering from some mystery virus.
Gytie was a little bit creative with the truth about a certain golf ball and a certain glass of black currant juice.
Wayne Dilworth needs to re read the list of things that you are not mean't to do on the night before an important game of rugby.
Can we please destroy all remaining bottles of that Chinese piss!
