Bulls dominate for long periods without scoring

St. Ives were able to field a strong side for the final league match of the season, but still suffered the loss ever-present Ollie Bartlett to a late fitness check. Tom Evans stepped into the breach on one flank and Ross Thompson dusted himself down from his previous week’s exertions to ensure the average age of the back row crept over 20.
The Bulls welcomed back Stuart James, Tommy Newman and skipper Josh Dear in the front row and their strength was in evidence throughout as the pack mullered the visitors front five at scrum time. The lineout was also back to a functioning unit once more, so things augured well.
Failure to adhere to the referee’s breakdown instructions offered BBOB a couple of soft penalties in front of the posts early in the match.
It was extraordinary that the Bulls dominated the first half, but that it ended 0-6. The referee commented after the match, “Simple drawing and passing on their line in that first half and you would have walked in three or four tries”. The watching St. Ives supporters had been commenting the same.
Bullocking runs by Duncan Williams, Mickey Blackley and Matt Wood, who had a fine game throughout, had the visitors on the back foot. Mickey Drake was receiving decent ball from late call up and under-17 Charlie Mandley, but somehow the ball did not manage to reach the overlapping players.
At the break the focus was on continuing the attacking formats, improve the pressure in defence and taking the game to the opposition.
The effect was immediate. Alex Henly and Max Dominy in the centres made ground, the ball was quickly recycled and finally made its way down the line for the swift-in-support Will Nelson, making his first start at full back, to score in the corner.
The bulls kept to their patterns. Stuart Cornwell made an incisive run off Drake’s shoulder as he did frequently in the game. The pack supported well, the ball was recycled and found its way to Newman on the wing to score in the same corner. Having had his sighter earlier, Dominy slotted the conversion from the touchline.
BBOB suffered some injury problems with the stand-off and second row leaving the field in quick succession. Despite that, the visitors fought back into the game and put the ball frequently over the top to turn the Ives defence. After some pressure another breakdown penalty was conceded.
Warhorse Thompson’s shoulder finally gave up the fight, which forced the flu-ridden Michael Wright on to the park for the last quarter.
Ives were feeling the pressure, but one upfield surge led to a penalty converted by Dominy.
With just 6 points in it, the visitors realised that the hosts were tiring and threw caution to the wind. Moving the ball through the hands, the BBOB centre made a clean break and put the winger away. He sensed a potential match winning try, when man-of-the-match Nelson sprinted across the field to down him around the ankles. Luke Slade was back to help out and the attack was snuffed out.
There was still time for Graham Moffitt to make a two minute cameo in his final appearance on a rugby field (apparently. Let’s see….) as St. Ives ran down the clock through their workaholic pack and deservedly took the spoils.
That it was close at the end was credit to BBOB who never gave up. It was also the result of profligacy in the first half. As has been the case all season, the small margins affected the score line. They will be improved when the players practise together in readiness for next season in East Mids. 3!