Fantastic finish for 1st XV in NLD Plate game

Bourne made the long trip to Grimsby for their NLD Plate quarter-final at the weekend. With a number of the squad struck down by a twenty four hour bug in the lead up to the game the side that took to the field to start were visibly underprepared.

Bourne started the game as they had the previous week conceding a try within minutes of the kick-off. Grimsby had started with real intent and made use of a number of strong ball carriers. Bourne's defence, struggling to cope, was quickly in disarray and Grimsby took no time at all to expose a dog-leg in the defensive line. Crossing to open the scoring under the posts the kick was added with ease.

Again, just as they had the previous week, Bourne then allowed their opponents to extend their lead as Grimsby continued with the better share of territory and possession. From a scrum inside the Bourne twenty-two the Grimsby backline created an extra man bringing the blindside winger in before shipping the ball wide to finish in the corner. Although the kick was missed Bourne were already facing an uphill battle with a twelve point deficit to overcome.

Finally getting their hands on the ball in the Grimsby half Bourne started to mount some pressure of their own and were quickly rewarded with a penalty which flyhalf Sam Evison (sponsored by Moon & Evison Ltd) converted.

Bourne edged even closer a short while later when wing Rob Bentley (sponsored by Kruger Equestrian) scored a scintillating solo effort. Gathering the ball in his own half as it rolled loosely Bentley darted towards the Grimsby half beating a number of defenders as he did so. Bentley then showed just what a devastating finisher he is as he stepped inside the final two defenders before then accelerating round them on the outside to finish. Evison added the conversion and Bourne, just two points behind, were far closer than they perhaps deserved.

Setting out to get a grip on the game in the final forty minutes Bourne looked to have thrown their chance away with their first touch of the second half. Failing to gather the kick the ball ended up being fumbled closer and closer towards the Bourne try-line. Grimsby took possession as they piled forward and unable to set defensively Bourne immediately leaked a try under the posts. To make matters worse Bourne backrow Ben Keast, adamant that a Grimsby knock-on had been missed, couldn't contain himself and after a heated comment to the referee was yellow carded for dissent.

Bourne went down to thirteen men under bizarre circumstances just five minutes later when Evison joined Keast in the sin-bin. Evison, stand-in captain during Tom Dixon's injury lay-off, appeared to try and speak to the referee in his role as skipper but was also yellow carded for dissent.

Bourne defended frantically for the period in which they had reduced numbers and somehow repelled a number of powerful Grimsby attacks. It was credit to the thirteen players that remained on the pitch that Grimsby were unable to score despite their numerical advantage.

Despite such a draining effort in defence, Bourne, buoyed by the return of Keast and Evison, finally came to life. With renewed energy the visitors set about salvaging something from the game and they were quickly rewarded. Gathering a long kick fullback Josh Lynch (sponsored by Dave Maudsley) ran back towards the Grimsby half, evading a number of defenders as he did so. Lynch linked with centre Jack Berry (sponsored by Ian Knight Stonework Brickwork) who also made yards before feeding the ball to Evison who showed just enough pace to outrun the final defender. With Evison converting his own try, Bourne, against all the odds, were level at seventeen all.

With fifteen minutes left Bourne scored again in almost identical fashion to their previous effort. After a decoy run from number eight Adam Binns (sponsored by The Roma Group, Drain Doctor and Lisa Batty), Berry made a break before feeding a well timed pass to Lynch who finished untroubled from fifty yards out. Evison once again added the extras and suddenly Bourne looked to be heading for the right result.

The Bourne pack started to match their opponents with some strong carries, particularly second rowers Sam Harby (sponsored by Ian Knight Stonework Brickwork) and Keir Moore (sponsored by Electroflow Ltd) and prop Jake Appleby (sponsored by KCW Windows). With Binns directing the set-pieces the Bourne pack quickly started to outplay their opposition and they applied serious pressure in the final quarter.

Bourne were utterly dominant in the final ten minutes and were awarded a number of penalties at the scrum. Recognising that his pack had the upper hand Evison opted several times to reset the scrum and the Bourne forwards were eventually rewarded with a penalty try. Bourne were now fourteen points clear with just five minutes left on the clock.

With more pressure and more penalties Evison chose to wind the clock down adding another kick, taking his own haul for the day to seventeen points.

In the dying moments the hosts looked as though they might claw a try back but in one of the game's highlights the Grimsby centre was chased down over fifty metres by Bourne prop Chris Greenwood (sponsored by Mulberry Homes). Forced to pass inside Greenwood to keep the ball alive the Grimsby support runner was met by the Bourne cover defence which quickly brought the attack to an end; with the ball turned over Bourne scrumhalf JJ Roberts ended the game as he sent the ball well into touch.

Man of the Match Keast was pleased with the outcome: "We struggled to get going but when we did we played some fantastic rugby - the forwards created a strong platform and the backs were clinical with their finishing."

Coach Maudsley was pensive after the game, "We were very good for the final twenty minutes but we were dreadful before that and we can't afford to start as we did or play like we did for the first hour. We had a lucky escape today but there aren't many sides in our league who would allow the game to slip away from them given the start we gave Grimsby today."

Maudsley went on to speak about his expectations of his players: "Despite a tough season so far we believe we're competing at the right level. But going up a level as we have we need to work that much harder. We have to prepare, train and play at the right levels and quite frankly we're guilty of switching off at times this season. We'll get what we deserve by the end of the season and if we don't give our best we'll have missed a golden opportunity."