Bruising encounter sees the Bulls victorious

Another potential banana skin was avoided as a much-altered side travelled to Rushden & Higham for the latest league match.
Head Coach Paul Humphreys summarised thus, “5 points on the road are always welcome. We dogged out a win, ensuring we rook the maximum we could from the game.
Rushden to their credit challenged us and it felt like it took us a little time to adjust. I honestly felt we were the better team. But, our inaccuracies and unusual panic play meant we struggled to get any real momentum in the first half. When we did string a few phases together we looked dangerous and scored.
“We coped admirably at scrum time. The front row we put out, was not our strongest, but their grit and determination laid the platform for the style of performance that was required. Here we must especially thank Sam Vivers for stepping in at hooker and Sam Marston-Stamp for switching to prop. And here I agree with him - "Sometimes you have to do what’s best for the team!"
The team fought hard for each other, and that ultimately got us through.”
The scoring started bizarrely as Ives awaited the advantage gained in opposition half. But as the home winger scooped up the loose ball and cantered in for a score under the posts, no penalty was awarded.
The rest of the half saw both sides play good attacking rugby with defences regularly beaten. Ives equalised as Sam Vivers finished some great continuity and offloading.
Rushden responded immediately with a try for the winger following a perfectly placed cross field kick.
Back came the Bulls. Pounding the line with pick and goes, scrum half Ciaran Russell released the ball wide for Cullan Smy to dart through.
From the kick off, Connor Newsome made a break and finding himself without support grubbered the ball through. Frantic defence saw the ball kicked into Ives’ hands and Ollie Raine marched to the line.
Ives then lost discipline for some time and a series of penalties gave Rushden good field position. A quickly taken penalty was whipped wide for a score in the corner.
Strong defence in their opponents’ half saw Ives recover the ball. A break by Michael Sykes took him to within inches of the line. Again, good retention saw Ives create the gap wide out for Smy to score his second.
With Will Sutton converting three of the tries the half time score was 19 to 26.
The Bulls began the second period in the way they had ended the first. A series of drives by the pack ended with a penalty kicked to the corner. From the resulting lineout, Newsome found a gap to go over.
Rushden had not given up. Another fine cross field kick saw the winger in space to score in the corner.
This was followed by one of Ives’ best scores. Fro a lineout in their own half, skipper John Paxton jinked his way over the gain line. Raine was on hand to sprint down the wing, two inside passes left Ben Fleming with a man to beat. Having stepped him he scored under the posts.
Once again, Rushden fought back. With Ives down to 14 after Matt Wood was yellow carded, the Rushden scrum took advantage and gained a penalty at the set piece. A quickly taken penalty was spread wide for the hosts to score in the corner.
From the kick off, Rushden knocked the ball into Ives’ hands. A Powerful ruck tied in the defence and Raine was on hand to take the pass and waltz through the defence to score Ives’ seventh.
With Sutton unerring with the boot, the Bulls travelled home happy with a 29 to 47 victory.
Photos by kind courtesy of resident Rushden photographer Brian Gates.