Josh Lynch wrote his name into Bourne rugby folklore forever when he drove himself through an attempted tackle by Deepings full back Aram Jones to score the only try of the game.

This was never going to be a high-scoring affair, with the home side’s strategy of starving the Green Machine backs of space and ball matched by the try threat posed by the Deepings’ forwards. But the visitors’ failure so far to win away from Linchfield Road in the league was maintained after an undoubtedly defensive-inspired triumph by Bourne. That triumph is even more magnified by the fact that not only were the home side without head coach Dave Maudsley, indispensable centre Sam Thornburn, promising winger Donald Sweeting and flanker George Lindley.

There was no assistant coach, Nigel Lindley, at Milking Nook Drove either, leaving second row forward Paul Mabey to call the shots on the Bourne sidelines.

Bourne had the first chance to score when Deepings were penalised for going over the top, but Jack Berry missed from 22 metres out. Deepings fly half Chris Owen then put his side ahead, before Berry replied with a kick between the posts.

A pair of penalties were then exchanged by the pair to tie the game at 6-6 ahead of the flashpoint that may have decided the match. With the ball just inside the Deepings half, a mass brawl erupted which saw Green Machine prop Gareth Silverwood red-carded for violent conduct.

Another Berry made it 9-6 to Bourne at half time as it became increasingly obvious that whichever side could score a try would probably win the match. Bourne’s forwards were proving valiant in containing Deepings’ potent back line, including scrum half Lance Charity, flying winger Kelvin Squires and potentally the best all-round rugby player in South Kesteven, Aram Jones.

However, another Chris Owen penalty to make it 9-9 gave Deepings the platform to go on and win the game, or so it seemed. But after a Sam Harby “try” for Bourne was ruled out due to a forward pass, skipper Tom Dixon took the ball from a scrum and drew his Deepings’ opposite number Phil Trotman before offloading to Lynch to touch down for an unconverted try.

Josh Jordan-Boddey was denied a try for Bourne, again for a forward pass, but it was the home XV and replacements who were punching the air at full-time to signal the end of a pulsating and enthralling advert for south-east Lincolnshire rugby.

Man of the match : Josh Lynch