maidenhead v Bournemouth

Team Selection: There were a number of changes to both the backs and forwards that played in the Maidenhead game a fortnight ago: At fullback, Ryan Morrell returned to replace Josh Wickens and on the right-wing Ashley Taylor was moved to the left-wing to replace Sam Palmer. OS centre Jordan Wayman was moved to replace Taylor to be replaced by IS centre Adam Higgins. Higgins, in turn, was replaced by the returning Hancox at IS Centre. In the forwards: the front row remained unchanged. In the second row, Connor McCaffery was moved to BS flanker to be replaced by Ademuwagun Anjolaoluwa returning from injury. BS Flanker Ben Kimber, replaced by McCaffery, replaced OS Flanker Ciaran Smyth concussed in the Maidenhead game. There were two changes on the bench: Mike Pope and newcomer Sam Elrick replacing Oli Grainger-Williams and Ken Sasu.

The weather was again over cast with no sun, with no noticeable wind. Under foot, the pitch looked in good nick, all amounting to perfect conditions for a game of rugby football.

The ‘Come-back’ Kids Edge a Thriller – The headlines from last week’s report and pertinent for this one.

Again, what an astonishing match. Despite taking an early lead of 7-3 through a Hancox try and conversion despite the same player missing an earlier penalty through his unerring ability to hit a 4-inch upright from some 50 yards distance rather than putting it through a much larger gap between the uprights just to the left, Bournemouth contrived to make life difficult for themselves y being reduced to 12 players when referee Tom Falkingham showed the yellow peril to three Bournemouth players – causing much consternation amongst the supporters I can assure you. Bournemouth did well to limit the damage to just 10 points, in fact clawing back three points of their own through the Hancox boot but, on being restored to a full complement, promptly conceded 14 points through some pretty rapid dashes down the right wing. However, Bournemouth got back 12 points of their own late in the half through the good offices of captain Manning and No 8 Desmond topped-up by Mr Hancox.to give some sort of respectability to the half-time score of 22-27.

However, much of this late recovery was undone when the Welsh scored a couple of tries within eight minutes of the restart to make the score 22-37. How crucial would those missed kicks at goal be? Nonetheless a resilient Bournemouth struck back with two scores of their own through wingers Taylor and Wayman to make the score 32-37 after almost an hour. With Bournemouth refusing to give anything away, the rising tension and hope amongst the home supporters was palpable. However, it was stalemate for a quarter of an hour before Hancox kicked another goal to make the score 35-37 and, as somebody said, ‘This game can be still won or lost.’ It was all getting too much for your correspondent and many others in the crowd I would suggest as Bournemouth strove to conjure up a winning score.

Then dramatically and accompanied by an enormous roar of delight from the home crowd the indefatigable Hancox rounded off a fine personal display by forcing his way over to score his second try, neatly bracketing Bournemouth’s scoring. ‘What a score’ as a certain Mr Morgan once famously said. Hancox picked himself up and kicked the goal to make the score 42-37 and as the ball sailed between the uprights, referee Falkingham relieved the tension amongst the rest of us by blowing for no side.

Bournemouth move up one place to 7th on 45 points. London Welsh remain 6^th on 50 points having played 21 games, one more than Bournemouth.

Fixtures Next Week – March 11:

Havant v Banbury, London Welsh v Maidenhead, Oxford Harlequins v Brighton, Royal Wootton Bassett v Bournemouth, Sutton & Epsom v Bracknell, Wimbeldon v Camberley.

Bournemouth’s next match is away to Royal Wootton Bassett, Saturday, March 11, KO 3.00PM.

Doug Warren, Bournemouth RFC.