Sat 4 Jan 2020
Long Buckby would kick off playing up the slope. NOS would field the ball and kick back. Buckby would use the possession to make yards into the NOS half before a handling error gave the bal back to NOS in the midfield who moved the ball quickly to create the overlap and scoring in the corner to open the scoring 0-5 (3 mins). This would become a theme for the first 20 minutes where Buckby would be looking to play phases and moves before NOS would capitalise on every mistake made by the Buckby boys. Good carries from Tim Dixon and Andrew Frankland would find Buckby in the NOS 22. With most of the forwards getting their hands on the ball Tim Lewis was stripped in the contact and fast hands from NOS they would work the overlap and the winger would run in for NOS second 0-12 (10 mins). Minutes later a similar situation where a Buckby would lose possession deep in NOS territory and NOS would back their pace with their hard running backs to score the third try 0-17 (14 mins). Buckby would have definitely thought it wasn’t going to be their day when once again losing possession cheaply gave NOS the chance to throw it out wide again but pressure from Doug Burroughs causes what looked like a knock on of about 10 meters, while Buckby stopped NOS played on and the referee gave the try deeming the ball to have come off a head 0-24 (18 mins). Buckby were still feeling very festive and Timmy Dixon decided to gift wrap another present for the visitors when he floated a long pass which was intercepted and NOS winger scored to make it 0-31 after 24 minutes!
Unforced errors and clinical finishing from the hard running NOS players that was causing a landslide. Buckby had to cut this out and did for the majority of the game. The Buckby scrum and lineout was working well throughout and gave them a platform to drive towards the NOS 5 metre line. With the NOS number 8 given a team yellow after multiple penalties Buckby looked to get on the scoresheet. Andy Oliver found half a gap releasing Jake O’Keife who fended well before playing Doug Burroughs into the corner to score. Ryan Clarke converted from the touch line to make it 7-31 (35 mins). The final 5 mins of the half would see Buckby pushing for a second but were well kept out by the organised NOS defence.
HT
The second half came and Buckby would make 3 substitutions hoping this would swing the momentum and give Buckby a foothold in the game. This didn’t quite happen straight away as NOS scored minutes into the second half 7-38. Buckby started getting more possession, looking to play from most area’s on the pitch. Andrew Frankland would be the one to spot a gap in the NOS defence charging out of his own half drawing the winger and playing in Andy Oliver to step the fullback and cruise in under the posts 14-38. Buckby would be the problem to their own downfall as a missed pass would gift another try to NOS and a fine team try would make the score 14-14 after 60 minutes.
The final 20 minutes would be all Buckby and good hard running from Craig Eales, Joe Ashwell and Fergus Murray would set the platform. The penalty count would be going up and Buckby would make their way for a 5 metre lineout before opting for a scrum after another infringement. From the resulting scrum Andrew Frankland would score after controlling the ball well at the base and then powering over 19-50 (64 mins). The aftermath from the try would see a little bit of afters and Buckby and NOS would lose a player for 10 minutes. This seemed to spark a bit of fire in the Buckby players and Sam Doran’s would run hard beating about 4 or 5 NOS players with good agility and strength making a good 40 meters. Buckby would continue to press forwards with the NOS defence scrambling Buckby would play with an offside advantage. Playing from left to right Doug Burroughs looks dead certain to score his second but lost the ball forward while diving over the line under pressure from the NOS defence. Buckby would go back for the penalty and re-start their attack, Sam Doran’s would score after a well delayed pass from Jack Gibson played him in to score from close range, most importantly this gave Buckby a try scoring bonus point 26-50 (72 mins). The final stages of the game was played in the NOS 22 and the final playoff the game would see Craig Eales score from the back of a scrum powering over to finish the game 31-50.
Buckby need to continue into the next game the way they finished the final 20 minutes of this one and remember how they defended again Vipers and Bosworth if they can do that they will be a very difficult team to beat!
