Bosworth’s challenge ends in loss
THE December Challenge was shot to pieces on Saturday when Market Bosworth failed to get any league points to add to the ten already achieved in the month. Such phrases as “a bridge too far” and “fell at the last hurdle” spring to mind however they managed to retain their position in the league going into the New Year.
With an icy wind blowing and almost freezing rain the game was never going to be an entertaining affair but after only three minutes of play Vipers got a penalty just in front of the Bosworth posts. An easy kick in normal conditions but it went wide.
It took another seven minutes and numerous two man drives by Vipers to create the space for a perfect drop goal to open the scoring.
Bosworth sprung into life at the restart gaining possession and moving the ball into the opposition’s twenty two and being rewarded with a penalty for a high tackle which Rich Harris kicked to level the score. It took another fifteen minutes before Rich Harris who had mastered the conditions kicked a second penalty to put Bosworth into the lead. This was short lived as Bosworth found it difficult to win any possession and let Vipers gain the lead when their strong number eight ran in a try under the posts for an easy conversion.
Rich Harris was able to increase Bosworth’s score with another excellent penalty kick putting them just one point behind at half time.
Now facing the wind and driving rain Bosworth found it difficult to achieve anything and letting Vipers increase their lead with a try from a driving maul, adding the conversion which was quickly followed by a couple of successful penalty kicks.
Things got worse for Bosworth when with ten minutes to go a second row player got yellow carded reducing the chances of winning any set pieces to zero.
With this advantage Vipers put the pressure on running in two more tries in the last ten minutes, both under the posts, one of which they converted and gaining a bonus point in the process.
The final score Vipers 35 – Market Bosworth 9, a poor result against a team floundering at the bottom of the league but with half the season gone and a couple of free Saturdays until the next game perhaps there is time to rebuild before the next game away at Oakham on 5th January.