Maids demolish
Maidenhead v London Welsh: Hosts run in seven tries to get their
Maidenhead 56, London Welsh 17
Maidenhead made a nearly faultless start to their Regional 1 South Central campaign, running in seven tries to demolish London Welsh 56-17 at Braywick Park and move second in the early season standings.
Maids came into their opening fixture expecting a much closer contest against a side who are working their way back up the divisions following liquidation and subsequent demotion down the divisions in 2016.
Maids were caught a little cold on their introduction to life in the London & South East Premier Division last season, and are obviously determined not to make the same mistakes this time around having been switched into another new division.
They looked the fitter, slicker side throughout, storming into a deserved 18-5 half-time lead before turning on the afterburners as Welsh ran out of gas midway through the second half.
They’ve also supplemented their line up with several new players and each of them look like they're capable of taking Maidenhead's game to a whole new level.
The contrast with last season’s opening day defeat to North Walsham – where a sloppy, sluggish, Maidenhead outfit were punished for their errors – is startling.
This is the kind of statement victory that will have raised a few eyebrows from league rivals, and head coach David Mobbs-Smith and director of rugby, Myke Parrott, will be doing everything they can to keep the players’ feet on the ground ahead of next week's tricky looking derby clash at Bracknell.
In pleasant conditions, the game got away to an even start, with Welsh looking more than capable of causing the hosts a few problems. It took 10 minutes for either side to put points on the board, but crucially it was Maids who did so with one of their new recruits, fly-half Greg Smith sending over the first of many penalties and conversions. This one was relatively routine, and he made no mistake from a similarly central position just a few minutes later to give Maids a 6-0 lead.
Welsh’s number 7, Rowan Pixley was yellow carded for a high tackle to give away the penalty as Maids’ pressure began to tell.
The home side pressed on and extended their advantage in the 20th minute, Scott Prince pinning his ears back and racing down the touchline only to be held up just short of the line. Fortunately, there was back up and Mark Grimshaw picked up the loose ball to touch down Maids’ first try of the season.
The game hadn't been as one-sided as the
score line suggested however, and the visitors grabbed a deserved score when the ball was worked wide on the left for Louis
Groark to dive over in the corner. The extras were missed but the game was back in the balance at 11-5.
Maids instantly hit back with a try of their own, Niall Crossley bursting through the middle of Welsh's defence before off-loading to Prince who ran in to score under the posts. Any momentum Welsh had was quickly taken away from them. It wouldn't be the last time in the game Maids would do this.
The home side survived a period with only 14 men, as Will Macaulay was given a yellow card and they came close to extending their lead when Crossley made another impressive break down the flank and very nearly set up Josh Hart for a try. However, Hart was held up just short and felt a twinge in his hamstring and was replaced soon after.
Maids were good value for their lead at the interval, but Welsh remained a threat. When Antonio Kiri Kiri was yellow carded for a deliberate knock-on London Welsh took advantage, bundling their way over for a second try as a rolling maul crashed over the Maids’ line.
But, just as in the first half, they quickly had the rug pulled from beneath their feet as Maidenhead number 18, Jamie Maddern, finished off a fine backline move in the 50th minute to make it 25-10. That seemed to kill Welsh's spirit and the hosts ran in four more tries to illustrate not only their dominance, but superior fitness. Another new signing, Alex Turton, weaved his way through several lines of the Welsh defence to provide Smith with another penalty opportunity in front of the posts and he dutifully took it to make it 28-10 in the 65th minute.
With 20 minutes to go, Maids turned a Welsh scrum, and the ball was won back and recycled for Prince to score his second of the game. Kiri Kiri then chased down an up-andunder from Macaulay to dive on the ball for a try in the corner a few minutes later before Smith kicked, ran, and picked up to score a sixth try for the hosts. Smith converted them all, quite brilliantly.
Maddern then ran from deep in his own half to cap off a memorable opening day win with his second try of the game.
London Welsh showed some character late on when Jacob Butler – the son of former Wales player and commentator Eddie Butler - sold a good dummy to fool the Maids’ backline and touch down his side’s third try, but nothing could tarnish this spectacular 56-17 opening day win for Maids.