Bulls crush dispirited Saints in second half deluge

With a mass of dining VPs and visiting local media, neither team needed motivation for the long awaited derby match since Saints promotion last season. Having met last time in the cup, when Saints had prevailed, they arrived at the chicken shack in confident mood.
Saints chose to play with the elements and slope in the first half, which was very evenly contested. Early pressure on the hosts led to a penalty chance. But, it was to prove an extremely difficult day for the kickers and it slid wide.
Ives, who for the first time in many a moon had had selection headaches of a positive kind, were welcoming back many players. Any concern about cohesion was soon dispelled. Driving runs by the pack, superbly marshalled by skipper Josh Dear and supported by the strength of fellow front rowers Michael Wright and Tommy Newman, took Ives upfield. A penalty was nudged to the 22, a driving maul formed and Ollie Bartlett controlled at the back to open the scoring with a fine try.
Ives thought they deserved a penalty try after fine work at the scrum. However, visiting referee Coralie, who managed the game very well in atrocious overhead conditions, deemed the scrum “unstable” and Saints were reprieved.
The rest of the half was played out in the middle third as the Bulls repelled Saints’ efforts. Two offences resulted in penalties against. Half time 5-6.
Ives made one tactical substitution at half time, with Duncan Williams able to play against his old side.
The second half started exactly as the Bulls would have liked. Williams drove directly with the ball in hand. The outstanding Matt Wood, whose overall game was exemplary, carried strongly. Bartlett and Josh Meadows were also prominent.
It gave John Paxton playing at 10 the opportunities he had been seeking. Able to release jinking centres Mickey Drake and Adam Smith, straight running lines brought due reward.
Meadows took a ball from Paxton’s shoulder and sprinted clear for the first try of the half.
Paxton himself added to the scores, stepping and accelerating under the posts.
To keep up the pressure, Jim Robinson slotted a penalty.
St. Neots began to tire and lost a bit of cool, so the opportunities continued. After good continuity, Meadows found himself receiving the ball out wide, stepped the last cover and bagged his second.
The rain was bucketing down and the scoring deluge continued as Drake finally broke free and jinked over for a fine try.
Either the behind the posts rollicking, or a little pause in the effort from the Bulls allowed Saints some respite. After some penalty concessions, Saints were able to return the earlier favour of a line out maul to register a try.
But the Bulls were not done. Luke Slade, on for Greg Dale at 9, pounced from the base of the scrum to add the 5th try for Ives.
Winning the restart, Paxton spread the ball wide to release the returning James Wood who sprinted clear of the scrambling defence to score in the corner.
And with the clock in red, Williams’ direct driving play brought its own reward with a try at the death.
Skipper Dear was delighted to have pleased the many spectators. “It goes to show what we are capable of when we train well and get the right squad onto the pitch. We need to learn those lessons and move on to the next match.”