Sat 16 Nov 2019
Leicester Forest have invested heavily since the two sides last met in Midlands South East 3, almost 3 years ago. They have built an artificial pitch which can be used 365 days a year while Buckby have not been able to train in almost two weeks due to bad weather coming into this game.
Buckby started well turning over LF from the kick off and threw the ball about looking for angles off Ryan Clarke, Jake O’Keife, Fergus Murray and Andy Oliver all making it over the game line. LF won the ball back and played one to the wing and then back to the far wing working an overlap and scoring in the corner 7-0 (5mins)
Fergus Murray made a strong tackle which assisted in a turn over and Ryan Clarke found touch 5 metres from the LF line. From the lineout LF knocked on giving Bucbky perfect field position, however from the resulting scrum Buckby were shoved off the ball and LF cleared. LF attacked and Buckby defended well throwing their bodies on the line in front of the heavier LF pack. In one collision Buckby lost Joe Ashwell and Tim Saunders both to injury. Not long after LF had a line out in the corner they got the rolling maul moving forwards halted by Buckby about 10 metres short the big tight head broke off from the back of the maul and threw Mikey Kemp off his feet on the way to score 14-0 (15 mins)
LF were looking to move the ball from side to side leaving their forwards out wide crashing into back and using the two options one in front or one out the back. The 10 would loop around looking to keep the ball moving one pass went wrong and Harvey Draper swept up the loose ball and sprinted 50 meters to score 14-5 (18 mins)
Buckby gained some confidence and looked to keep ball as much as possible sniping around the frindges were Jake Toesland, Andy Oliver and David Wardle all getting the ball in hand regularly. With the LF defensive line up Ryan Clarke used a cross field kick finding Andy Oliver, having to wait for the ball to drop gave the LF defence chance to catch him around the bootlaces. The game was getting played in the midfield and Buckby seemed to matching the LF team in with neither team looking to break. With Buckbys full back committed to the breakdown a grubber through saw LF winger win the foot race to touch down 19-5 (27 mins).
From this point onwards Bucbky seemed to get the rub of the artificial green and gained penalty advantage working phases until kicking to the corner on numerous occasions given themselves the opportunity to score but a well drilled defence kept Buckby out. LF number 6 was judged to have brought the BUckby lineout down and was given yellow. With only a couple minutes of the half to go David Wardle crashed towards to the try line only to be held up over the line.
Half Time
The Second half started similar to the end of the first with Buckby defending well but getting the opportunity to kick into the LF half. Some good tackling from Harvey Draper, Jack Gibbons and Chris Page kept LF at bay. Once again they looked to use the grubber kick, Mikey Kemp was there to cover only for the ball to bounce at a right angle at the wrong moment gifting LF their 4th try 24-5 (52 mins).
15 minutes on with further pressure getting relieved turnover ball from the Buckby back row kept LF at bay. At one ruck Andrew Tarplee was given yellow along with the LF number 6 for his second yellow of the game and they were down to 14 men. In this period the LF back three would find spaces in the Buckby defence from clearances and from kick off working the two on ones and scoring 3 quick tries. Jack Gibbons never give up attitude stopped further tries 41-5 (74 mins).
Buckby had the final say with Chris Page getting unleashed down the blindside when Bucbky regularly found half gaps to work themselves down the pitch, Chris fend the first man off before showing a go turn of pace and running straight over the full back like he wasn’t even there 41-10 (77 mins). The final play of the game saw Timmy Dixon who had worked tirelessly throughout the game punch a hole in the LF midfield followed through by Andy Oliver 2 on 1 against the full back, looked to give the ball before realising 3 LF players about to pounce. On reflection Timmy thought he might try kicking again but after last week not quite going to plan, he took the ball into contact and a couple of phases later the game would be over.
Full Time
