Pipped at the post

As oft times this season, Ives left the pitch wondering how they had ended up on the wrong side of the score line. Daventry had done their homework after going down to a powerful pack performance by the Bulls at the Chicken Shack in December and beefed up their close-in defence. It was to prove the difference in the end.
With both sides determined to keep the other out, they were separated only by an early Max Dominy penalty for much of the first half. Ives were under the cosh for long periods, but excellent defence across the park, but in particular by indefatigable Ollie Bartlett and 17 year old Will Nelson, kept the hosts at bay.
Having seemingly run out of ideas, the home 10 attempted a drop goal and missed. Unfortunately, the potential relief for Ives was short lived when the wind took the restart out. From the resultant scrum, a well worked back row pick up led to the first try of the match for Daventry.
With time to restart, Ives finally broke the shackles. Daventry’s tactic to kick to the Ives back 3 backfired when Jack Blackley ran and stepped the onrushing defence. Paul Ashbridge, playing on one and a half legs, released Bartlett and Alex Henley made ground. The ball was swung back to the supporting Josh Dear who, in the throes of preparing his celebratory swallow dive across the line, was dismayed to hear the peep of the whistle bringing him back for a forward pass.
Half time 7-3.
Early in the second half, major concern arose for Dominy who went down heavily clutching his knee. Given history, it was good that he was able to walk from the pitch unaided. However, Daventry took the opportunity to break through the disrupted Ives defence, turning the ball over and supporting to score a second converted try.
The hosts continued to test the Ives back 3, but Nelson was outstanding on the counter. His colleagues took up the momentum gained and finally attacked the wider channels. Daventry could not cope with the surge and the line was finally breached for Bartlett to scorch through under the posts. Henley added the extras.
The Bulls were unable to adapt to the official’s interpretation of the breakdown laws throughout the game. To their huge frustration the penalty count climbed in one direction. Having used a couple of opportunities to test Ives lineout resolve, Daventry finally tried to make the game safe and went for the posts, converting a penalty.
The bulls were not done and again, playing the ball well into the wider channels, made excellent ground. And again it was Bartlett who seized the opportunity to break through and score under the posts. With many walking wounded, Stuart Cornwell volunteered to take the nerve jangling conversion and tied the scores with 3 minutes remaining.
Ives did well to field the kick-off. They then proceeded to make yards through the forwards, but calamity at the death. With the clock in red, one more drive left a player isolated and holding on. It was then the Daventry kicker’s turn to hold his nerve and stroke the winning penalty between the posts.
The Bulls left the scene heartened with the last 20 minutes performance, but naturally disappointed to have found the solution to unlock the home defence so late in the game.