Bulls despatch Daventry in spectacular fashion

This group of players has high ambition. After many matches this season the talk has been about what would happen if it finally “clicked” in a match. For the many spectators preparing for the Club’s Christmas celebrations, the second half exhibition by the rampant Bulls was evidence of exactly that.
Having spent the first quarter wondering how to get over the line, with a number of spurned opportunities, Ives began to find their feet. A switch between Mickey Drake and Paul Ashbridge saw the latter slice through Daventry’s defence to open the scoring.
There was a period of frustration as forced passes and ignored overlaps gave some cause for concern. Finally excellent linking play after the returning Alex Henly had sprinted downfield, saw John Naylor find Paul Ashbridge who put the supporting Duncan Williams through.
Ives began to relax into their game. A quickly taken penalty had the visitors on their heels. Swift ball transference found Ollie Bartlett who crashed over.
Ives began to move the ball with more purpose. Slick hands saw Ashbridge pierce the gain line, with Naylor this time the beneficiary of the scoring pass.
Half time 26-0.
The half time chat was about tightening up the approach work as Ives were now playing against the elements. The forwards responded to the challenge in magnificent fashion and laid a perfect platform for the backs to run riot.
Daventry avoided a complete whitewash, taking the chance to convert a penalty in front, before the floodgates opened. Turning over the kick off, Dan Hyde reacted first to pounce on the ball. Naylor’s long pass found Ashbridge in space. Tackled near the line, the ball was swiftly recycled and enabled a gleeful Pete Fahey to get his name on the try scorers’ list.
Ollie Raine and Matt Wood were gobbling up any kick offs, leaving Bartlett, Williams and Josh Dear to charge through the retreating defence. Dear made a searing break, feeding Josh Meadows wide out. He released Albiee Tayedzerwa who skipped round the last defenders to score a fine team try which had the spectators purring.
The most popular score of the game, given the resounding cheers with which it was met, was another superb team effort. Neat handling between forwards and backs saw Ives to within reach of the line wide out on the left. Dear took a perfect line and scored by the posts.
From the restart, Dear and Williams once more punished the wilting Daventry defence, taking Ives well into their opponents’ half. Drake received the ball, stepped his opposite number and sprinted to the line.
The backs were enjoying the space and possession, with Jack Blackley linking well with Fahey and Henly to get into the Daventry 22. From a lineout, Williams swerved round the maul, feeding Naylor to finish off another tidy try.
The pattern was repeated from the next kick off. The forwards took the ball upfield, recycled possession found its way to Drake. Once again, he pinned his ear back to leave the defence in his wake to score.
Having already reached ten tries, a few minutes of Daventry resurgence followed as they made efforts to restore some pride. Ives were determined not to allow them over the white wash and defended strongly, knocking each runner back behind the gain line.
Normal service for this match was resumed in the last ten minutes. First, Ashbridge took the opportunity to skip through a gap and score.
From the next restart, another passage of excellent support play across the park saw the ball swept left then right. It ended in the hands of Tayedzerwa for him to finish the move.
Daventry tried to run the ball from deep, but were turned over by the rigid Ives defensive wall. Raine, who had got off his sick bed to play, was determined to get in on the act and loped upfield for a fine try.
The final score of the game went to Drake. Driving play saw Ives into the Daventry half. Quick recycling gave Drake a scintilla of space through which he danced before using up the last of his energy to outstrip the defence.
Ashbridge boosted his season’s burgeoning points tally with eleven conversions.
Skipper Bartlett was a very contented man after the game. “We wanted to reach Christmas unbeaten and we’ve achieved that. And what a way to do it, fourteen tries to nil. The lads can enjoy their Christmases and return refreshed for the challenges that lie ahead in the new year.”
In the other match at the Chicken Shack, St. Ives 2nds soundly beat Shelford 4th XV 52-10. Your scribe does not know all the scorers, but is aware that Ollie Jones scored a hat trick within 20 minutes of the start, congratulations to him.
The Club celebrations of two superb victories in the last games of 2017 went long into the night.