Dominant display by Market Bosworth in season opener

MIDLANDS 2 EAST (SOUTH) MARKET BOSWORTH 38 ST IVES 19 MARKET Bosworth fielded a strong side for the first league game of the season in Midlands 2 East (South).

This game proved to be an exciting affair, close at times, but decisive in the end. The game started with the visitors showing lots of promise by retaining possession for quite a while, but at a set piece Bosworth won the ball and after a great pass out by Tom Randon to Sam Balance the latter was able to open the scoring by running in an excellent try, converted by Joe Randon.

Minutes later, Bosworth prop Neil Jewell was able to stroll in for Bosworth’s second try when for some reason the opposition mistakenly thought that the referee had stopped the game when he had not, so they just let him walk through with the ball. The try was again converted by Joe Randon. This comedy of errors continued when, from the restart the St Ives kicker sliced the ball which failed to cross the halfway line, Bosworth opted for the scrum and were soon back in the opposition’s 22. However, a mistake gave St Ives a chance to recover but was lost when the clearance kick failed to find touch. The ball was collected by Will Clarke, who kicked ahead for Tom Randon to chase and touch down in the corner for Bosworth’s third try.

St Ives started to put their game together, mounting an attack into Bosworth’s 22, only for it to end in a forward pass. Good scrummaging did get them even nearer to Bosworth’s line but the ball was cleared out of the 22 but neatly collected by the St Ives winger who ran in to ground the ball in the corner for their first try.

During the next run of play Bosworth’s hooker, Jack McWhirter, somehow managed to receive a severe cut to the head which needed an urgent trip to hospital to stitch it up. When play resumed Joe Randon weaved his way through the St Ives defence to cross the line whereupon the referee adjudged him not to have grounded the ball. Within seconds, however, Will Clarke was able to make amends by running in a very well worked try, Bosworth’s fourth and a bonus point as the first half ended 24-5.

Shortly after the restart Bosworth’s prop, Gareth Bromby, sustained a leg injury and had to be replaced - players were shuffled around, giving St Ives the opportunity to run in their second try which they managed to convert this time. The referee penalised a Bosworth player for a dangerous tackle which gave St Ives the opportunity to kick for touch which got them to within five metres of the line and from the ensuing line-out they succeeded in grounding the ball for a pushover try, followed by the conversion, lifting their tally to 19 points.

Bosworth’s next try came from Will Hurst, who broke the deadlock when he collected his own kick ahead to touch down under the posts for an easy conversion, then Harry Parkes touched down under the posts for Bosworth’s sixth try, which was again converted as Bosworth won 38-19.

This Saturday sees Bosworth travelling to Stamford.