1st XV secure fifth successive league win at Dunstablians

Bourne sent out another message to the rest of the league on Saturday when they visited Dunstablians. Although Bourne won the first encounter between the sides back in November the two sides have had very different campaigns. Dunstablians have spent the season at the top end of the league table in relative security in contrast to Bourne who started the New Year at the very bottom. But having hit form recently Bourne have shifted towards the middle of the table and a string of five successive league victories has seen them move to eighth in the league with the very real possibility that relegation is no longer lingering over them.

Bourne's run of wins is undoubtedly linked to the increased availability of players. For a number of reasons the side changed frequently during the first half of the season but things appear to have changed as the club has regularly been getting its best side out since Christmas and with it they have certainly enjoyed some momentum. Once again they took a full strength side away and they looked to have prepared well during the warm-up.

Having been guilty on a number of occasions throughout the season of starting slowly, skipper Tom Dixon (sponsored by The Moorings) gave a very clear message to his players just moments before kick-off; a similar start against such a strong side might well prove to be irretrievable.

Dixon's players looked to have heeded his words as they started the game and they were quick to try and make their mark. The opening exchanges were fairly even but Bourne certainly looked like a side capable of an upset. Bourne's pressure was telling and they were awarded an early penalty. Just inside the host’s half and almost on the touchline it was a difficult kick and although scrumhalf Sam Evison (sponsored by Moon & Evison Ltd) looked to have done enough his attempt rebounded off the crossbar.

Maintaining their pressure Bourne were awarded another penalty minutes later, this time an easier opportunity for Evison, but he was off target sending the ball wide. Evison, reputed to be the most efficient kicker in the league, quickly returned to his normal standard with his third kick of the day as he converted a penalty to open the scoring.

And from the restart Bourne immediately looked to apply the pressure as they attacked the Dunstablians twenty-two. After a neat grubber from flyhalf Dave Maudsley (sponsored by DT Accountancy) caught the Dunstablians defence off guard the ball was gathered by centre Adam McHugh who was brought down just short of the try-line. As the Bourne support piled forward a number of good carries weakened the Dunstablians defensive effort and it was eventually wing Josh Lynch (sponsored by Dave Maudsley) who benefitted as he forced his way over for his side's first try of the day. Evison, having found his range, was on target with the conversion.

Dunstablians, sensing an upset, restarted the game with vigour and enjoyed better possession and with it they made their way into the Bourne half. With a dynamic pack running some good angles the home side started to grow into the game and began to tie the Bourne defence into the breakdowns. Having sucked the Bourne pack narrow a number of times Dunstablians then tried to send the ball wide but the Bourne backs scrambled well enough to bring each attack to an end.

Eventually though Dunstablians got some reward as they were awarded a penalty which they duly kicked, taking the score to 10 - 3. And a short while later they added a try to their tally. A long period of pressure inside Bourne's twenty-two proved too much as the Dunstablians forwards tried to impose their power on the game. With the kick missed the half finished with Bourne just two points ahead.

Both sides were keen to take control at the start of the second half but in very different fashions. In attack Bourne's off-the-cuff creation was a stark contrast to Dunstablians’ organised approach and solid defensive efforts from both sides suggested the game would finish as tightly as the first half had ended.

It was Bourne's attacking flair that brought about the next points. Their ability to score team tries has become something of a trademark in recent weeks and once again they provided a fantastic example. Whilst on this occasion there were only a handful of players involved, the linking of those players was sublime and undoubtedly reflects a side that know each other well.

Fielding a long kick down field fullback Jack Berry (sponsored by Ian Knight Stonework Brickwork) looked to be isolated by the oncoming defence until a powerful counter-ruck by centre Sam Thornburn (sponsored by Trevs Tyres) ensured the ball came out on the Bourne side. Wing Rob Bentley (sponsored by Kruger Equestrian) collected the ball and made a half break round the ruck finding backrow Adam Binns (sponsored by The Roma Group, Drain Doctor and Lisa Batty) just as his run was brought to an end. Binns shot through a gap and made good yards before he too was tackled to the floor but the move continued as hooker Harry Thornburn (sponsored by Sion Williams PT) appeared in support and after a timely offload from Binns he outpaced the cover defence over the final twenty metres. With the conversion Evison extended the lead to 17 - 8.

At this point Bourne began to dominate the game as they took their game plan back to basics and made vital use of their pack to soak up much of the pressure. After patiently building a platform through the forwards the Bourne backs then tried to create something but they were restricted to half chances by an energetic Dunstablians defence.

Having finally looked to have done enough the Bourne backs threw the ball wide in the Dunstablians' twenty-two only for their move to break down as a Dunstablians hand appeared to knock the ball on. Controversially the knock-on wasn't given and play was allowed to continue - as the ball had been directed towards the Bourne half it was the Dunstablians back line that were in a better position as they moved forward and suddenly their frantic defence was in fact turned into an attack. Completely out of sorts Bourne could do little to stop the Dunstablians attack make its way upfield and they were left frustrated as the home side crossed for a try. As the game went into the final quarter Bourne were now just 17 - 15 ahead.

The last twenty minutes became something of a sloppy affair. Bourne looked to be managing the game better with their basic approach but too often they pushed their luck and handed possession back to Dunstablians. Dunstablians though struggled to find a way through the Bourne defence which was up to the task and too often the Dunstablians attacking efforts ended with mistakes forced by the pressure they faced from the Bourne players.

With just minutes left Bourne skipper Dixon looked to have sealed the victory when his quick thinking got the better of the Dunstablians pack. From the middle of a ruck Dixon saw that Dunstablians had failed to defend the back of the breakdown and grabbing the ball he darted through untouched to score his side's third try. Evison was on target once again and at 24 - 15 Bourne appeared to have done enough.

There was still time for plenty of action though and this initially came through another controversial decision. From a long Dunstablians kick Bourne gathered the ball just off their own try line but were quickly forced backwards; as the ball wasn't grounded Bourne were entitled to play on and McHugh seemed to have done well as he managed to cross back over his try-line. At this point though the ball seemed to be knocked on by Dunstablians and crossed back beyond the Bourne tryline. With no choice this time but to ground it Bourne thought they would be restarting with a twenty-two drop out but instead the referee, feeling that it had been Bourne who had taken the ball back into their in-goal area, awarded Dunstablians an attacking scrum on the five metre line. Under pressure it wasn't long before the Bourne defence was caught out and Dunstablians added another try.

With just minutes to go Bourne were four points clear at 24 - 20 but fearful that one mistake might cost them the game. Mistakes by both teams in the dying minutes meant possession alternated a number of times but with just seconds left Bourne seemed to have clinched victory when they won a penalty in the Dunstablians twenty-two.

Not sure what the best option was to see out the game with the least risk Bourne chose to tap and go but immediately fumbled the ball, handing possession back to Dunstablians. With no obvious advantage Dunstablians were awarded a scrum on their own five metre line as the last play of the game.

Fittingly it was the Bourne defence that finally brought the game to an end. Desperate to somehow conjure a try from their own end of the pitch Dunstablians carried hard but the Bourne tackling was resolute and each carry was quickly repelled, to the extent where the final tackle of the game saw Dunstablians tackled off their own end of the pitch.

Lynch was the pick of the backs on the day but it was the Bourne pack that were once again influential and the Man of the Match award went to prop Jake Appleby (sponsored by KCW Windows).

Appleby paid tribute to his side after the game, "It's brilliant to get another win under our belts. We were sloppy in the first half but Dunstablians are a good side and they made it hard for us. The pack put in another good shift today - we'll be sore tomorrow but it will have been well worth it."

Coach Dave Maudsley was full of praise for his side "That was a great effort by the lads and they earned their success. Since Christmas we've been putting in decent performances and we're getting the results we deserve. We still haven't hit 100% yet though and with a couple of tough games coming up we'll need to get as close as we can."

Asked if relegation was still a consideration Maudsley was quick to respond: "We aren't safe yet. We need to keep doing what we're doing; although we'll be hoping other results go our way we can only really concentrate our efforts on us and the way we play. The priority is to keep on winning!"