Date:
7th June 2006

Try scorers were Dan Kerry and Colin Driver, both in the final 10 minutes. Was a hard fought game from both sides, with some very clinical finishing by the Dunstablians backs exposing an inexperienced center partnership causing us the most problems. We fought well up front and had the edge at scrum and line out. I had a very poor game which didn’t help us make the most of our possession. However very optimistic going into next weeks league game.
Plenty of good individual performances.

Joe Falders return to the side saw an immense performance in the scrum despite a bad back. Joe along with Ed and Nathan in the front row really caused them problems.
Colin Driver was he’s usual presense in the midfield, setting up one try and scoring the other, despite suffering from flu! Back row were strong in the tackle with Molyneux enjoying plenty of ball in hand and Moralee tireless around the park. Rory Elliot played like an extra back row forward getting stuck into their pack. Lowlesy could have had an awesome game if he’d had a scrum half who could pass the ball to him!

Date: 23rd Sept. 2006

There were mixed reactions after a narrow defeat to Old Hamptonians in the first league game of the season 23-32, with a try disallowed for inspirational captain Trevor Munien, of what might have been.

However the game started in error fashion as the Vees failed to collect the initial kick off, Old Hamptonians managing to collecting, and through an initial penalty offense by Vees kicked to the corner. It looked as if Vees had recovered the situation when Moralee managed to get a hand to the Hamptonians throw in, only to loose the ball on the way down, and quick ball and several phases found the OH 8 drive through to score the first points of the game to lead 5-0.

Vees immediately put pressure on the re-start and forced OH to fumble. The resultant scrum and phase saw OH's penalised for infringing at the ruck, and Vees kick to the corner only for the driving maul to be pulled down and a subsequent penalty was awarded with Vees taking a further line out. The line out was secured and while OH's attempted to pull the maul down again Doyle recovered the ball from the back of the resulting ruck and powered over for a well deserved try on his Vees league debut. Downie Converting.

Vees again pressed and through forward exchanges managed to link well with the backs to press the OH defense and sit comfortably within the OH half. Downie chipped through to beat the ensuing OH backrow and snatched the ball from the opposing 10, but last gasp tackling meant Vees did not break the OH defence. Instead OH's infringed and Downie calmly slotted the 3 points to give the Vees a slim 10-5 lead.

The next period of play saw some good offloading by OH's combined with some poor Vees defence. With OH's scoring 3 unanswered tries, along with two conversions and a penalty to give a 32-10 lead. Vees only managed a Downie penalty before the end of the half, although a great break by Fordham who showed his considerably pace, combined with Lines support saw the flanker tackled yards short of the OH try line.

Half time score 32-13.

Stirred by an emotive half time team talk Vees started the second half in positive fashion, determined to claw back the 19 point deficit.

Vees constantly pressed the OH line with Molyneux, Evershed and Driver forging inroads into the OH midfield. The Vees pack maintained the momentum, and the back three of Lidiard, Fordham and Samuel marshalled any OH clearances. But it was Downie who produced the sparkle, as he dummied and darted through a gap to score, following domination in the lineout by the Vees pack, with Lowe pin-point accurate.

With plenty of time still to play and the gap reduced to 14, Vees rallied again, playing deep in the OH half. Surging runs by Graham, Stewart and Atkinson ensured Vees held possession, but the OH defence held resolute.

But it was Downie again who produced the try as he borrowed over from yards following more steely performance from the Vees pack.

With the score set at 32-23, and ten minutes still to play the Vees looked to press for what would be a great and late comeback.

OH began to regain some possession and looked to play some exciting rugby in the Vees half offloading and supporting from deep, but the Vees midfield was able to hold firm, making those crucial tackles.

OH failed to make this possession count, but instead were penalised for constant infringements, and marched back on several occasions by the ref for back chat.

Vees looked to play and run deep from their own half, but stalled at first before being able to combine and drive forward into the OH 22, through successful line outs and barraging runs. Again OH were guilty of infringing on several occasions, and Munien tapped quickly from 5 out, scrambled over the line to score, only for the ref to judged that the ball was held up! From the resulting scrum, Vees pressed again and were unlucky not to charge down the OH clearance kick.

However OH were able to hold out, and maintain their 9 point advantage to win 32-23.

Downie was inspired for Vees collecting 18 points, but the Vees will clearly rue a poor 10 minute spell late in the first half with OH's scoring 22 consecutive points.

Graphics & Design: S. Mandelbaum (shalom@mandelbaumonline.net)