Fri 27 Sep 2019
Friday night under the lights away to NOS would test the strength and depth of the Buckby squad with a string of injuries given the opportunity for first team starts to Steven McGeachey and first starts of this season to Fred Saunders, Jake O’Kiefe and Harvey Draper. Sam Dudgeon would lead the team out as Captain.
The Games would start with NOS receiving and running the ball in hand, well met early by the Buckby defence. 18 year old Harvey Draper put the biggest hit on his opposite man and flatten the hard running winger on the spot. JP Watters worked hard in the loose and bounced a couple of opposition players to carry a good 20 to 30 metres. After good tight work, Buckby were caught holding on to give NOS the chance to kick for territory. From the resulting line out NOS back line released the blind side winger through the middle, covering tackles from Andy Oliver and Ben Walton enabled a turnover deep in the Bucky 22 but a couple of phase later NOS got a decision from the referee and they opted for the 3 points. 3-0.
From the kick off Buckby won a penalty on the angle and opted for the kick at goal Dan McNally step up and struck the post. NOS started to find space on the outside and the big left winger made good meters down the pitch almost every carry. Scrambling defence spread Buckbys defence thin and gave NOS the chance to offload out of the tackles and keep moving forward. A chip to the corner had Andy Oliver scrambling back getting tackled over the try line to give NOS a 5 meter scrum. From the resulting scrum NOS scored to make it 10-0.
From Kick off NOS were running hard and offloading gaining meters in the tight then unleashing the backline with support runners either side. Penalty advantages gave NOS the chance to rumble forwards and 2 similar tries from half breaks and offloads in quick succession took the score to 24-0.
NOS had the formula and kept playing in the same fashion, crash it up with hard runners and look to go wide out the back to the speedy back three. On the next occasion they tried this, young Harvey Draper read the move perfectly to intercept and run untouched from the 10 meter line to score under the posts 24-7.
If the Buckby faithful thought the door might be opening to a Bucbky come back it was firmly slammed shut by NOS who scored two converted tries late into the first half one through the forwards after a scrum and the other from flowing offloads from the backs. 38-7
HT
First Half Injuries to Steven McGeachey, Ben Walton and JP Watters brought Mikey Kemp, Harry Ellison and Joe Ashwell to the field. After the break and a team talk Buckby looked after the ball more and played the game in better areas. Jake O’Kiefe made a good run and Buckby’s set pieces look solid under pressure gaining ground in the line out and around the fringes. Tim Dixon worked tireless and looked to be making the corner before getting put into touch. Buckby worked tirelessly in defence and attack finding themselves in the opposition 22 for multiple phases but unable to get over the white wash.
Mikey Kemp found a good touch from his trusted left boot when under pressure. However from the resulting line out NOS ran a planned move crashing through the Centres and good hands scoring the first try of the second half 20 minutes in, 45-7.
Dan Mcnally found himself isolated after excellent work ripping the ball in contact and making a 30 meter break before getting taking down in the 22. NOS turned over and spread the play to the backs where the NOS winger would tip toe down the touchline avoiding a last ditch tackle from the covering Andy Oliver 50-7.
Buckby continued to play and Dave Allen made a strong carry through the midfield coming off his wing looking for work. Buckby were rewarded for their forward play getting a penalty advantage and would make their way to the 5 meter line however they were unable score the push over try on a couple of occasions, this would soon be turned over and NOS would play from their own 22. One final play saw their big winger get his 2nd try to bring the game to a close 57-7.
Try: Harvey Draper
Conversion: Dan McNally
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