Sat 5 Oct 2019, 15:00
After a VP lunch and the development game called off by the opposition, there was a good crowd at Station road to cheer on the green army. St Ives were the visitors who were flying high in the league last year but have yet to register a win just like Buckby this season. Something was going to have to give.
After only two minutes on the clock and playing with the slope Buckby were running hard at St Ives and were rewarded with a kickable penalty, this was dragged wide but the early tempo would set the tone for the first half. Jake O’Kiefe carrying hard in the centres would set the platform to pin St Ives back with well-placed kicks from Ryan Clarke and strong tackling from Andy Wilcox, Fred Saunders and Tim Dixon would make sure there was no easy way out for the dangerous St Ives team. Buckby struck first with a set move from the line out getting the shove on before Joe Ashwell powered over in the corner for his Maiden try for the club 5-0.
From the restart Buckby would look to move the St Ives pack around the field hoping to create spaces and further scores. After making ground Buckby were caught holding on giving St Ives field position. St Ives would truck up the field with their big ball carriers but Buckby met their opposition at the gain line and drove them back. An offside penalty would give St Ives the chance to close the gap 5-3.
From the restart Harvey Draper caught the ball on the run giving Buckby front foot ball and opened up space in the re-treating St Ives defence. The forwards were working hard around the fringes and breakdown to secure quick ball. The back line would release the returning Josh Brown down the right wing making a good 30 metres falling just 5 metres short of the line. The Following phases would see the hard running Joe Ashwell bag his second, Ryan Clarke converted from the touchline 12-3.
The next 10 minutes would see St Ives playing with more ball in hand and making inroads into the Buckby 22. Good runs from their 12 and back three would see half chances snuffed out by last ditch covering tackles from their opposite men in the Buckby defence. Great work on the ground from Jake Toesland would slow ball and eventually turn the ball over giving Buckby the chance to exit. Fred Saunders would be at his disruptive best at the front of the line out winning at least 2 against the throw in the first half. Andy Wilcox , Dan Taylor and Joe Ashwell were popping up all over the place taking the ball into contact drawing St Ives defence in and creating quick ball. Jake O’Kiefe released Ben Walton on an outside line to power his way to the corner and score 17-3.
St Ives would chase the kick off and Dan Taylor was hit hard and an offside penalty would give the St Ives number 12 a second chance to add points but he dragged just wide. Fergus Murrey came on replacing JP Watters who had worked hard for the first 30 minutes against the heavier St Ives pack. From the 22 drop kick, Buckby soon recovered the ball and countered with Ryan Clarke feeding Andy Oliver through the St Ives defence at pace, he would look for the supporting Sam Dudgeon but a St Ives hand would stop the Buckby vice-captain running in under the posts. Andy Wilcox would clean up the loose ball making ground before the ball was spun wide to Tim Dixon down the touchline who was tackled high over the touchline preventing the grounding and the referee rewarded a penalty try 24-3.
St Ives kept coming and their talismanic number 12 would find a good line through the midfield, a combination of a tap tackle from Ryan Clarke and last ditch tackle from Joe Ashwell would prevent the try but would see Joe Ashwell leave the field and get replaced by young Sam Doran’s.
Buckby would look to stretch St Ives and played back and forth across the pitch releasing the likes of Josh Brown, Ben Walton and Tim Dixon making good yards. Good game management from Ryan Clarke would find Buckby playing in the right area’s and Harvey Draper would use his pace and footwork to beat two players in a tight area to score in the corner 29-3.
Half Time
The first minute of the second half would see how the game would open up. Excellent work from Sam Doran’s breaking the line he would find Harvey Draper charging down the touchline chipping over the top and both looked for the try just beat to ball by the St Ives fullback. St Ives were gifted easy metres with penalties and would kick to the corner using their heavier pack to move toward the Buckby line finally breaching the defence to get their first try 29-10.
During this phase Jake Toesland would see yellow for back chat. Down to 14 men Buckby would look to play deep into St Ives territory. Fred Saunders found himself in space and made yards and Steve Shinkins made some valuable carries throughout, scrummaging excellently against the heavier pack. Buckby were rewarded after good defensive pressure forced a misplaced pass and Sam Dudgeon won the foot race to touch down 34-10.
Toby Hutt was on the field replacing Sam Dudgeon and Jake Toesland returned to the fold after his yellow. Soon after this St Ives 12 was harshly judged to have a try disallowed for a double movement, it was the correct decision but I’ve seen them given. Fergus Murray would help Buckby run out of their own half causing havoc in the midfield bouncing players left, right and centre. Josh Brown would carry this on into the 22, supported by Andy Oliver not known for passing would leave a cheeky out the back pass to Toby Hutt who stepped and fended to score his first Buckby try 39-10.
With only 10 minutes on the clock remaining St Ives never gave up and were rewarded with two late tries to finish the game 39-22.
Back to winning ways for the green army was a joy to watch along with the other supporters and left the VP’s happy. With players returning from injury and the Far East soon, we hope to see more of the same in the coming weeks.
Tries: Joe Ashwell x2, Ben Walton, Penalty, Harvey Draper, Sam Dudgeon, Toby Hutt
Conversions: Ryan Clarke x 1
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