As a bit of perspective on how far the 2nd XV has come in the last few years, the last time that the 2s played a Derby 3rd (or development, as they are called) team, we lost 107 - 0!
Whilst this was never going to be the case today, there was a little niggling thought in the back of the minds of the few survivors from that day...
and the match didn't start brilliantly either, with a couple of unforced errors allowing Derby to stage a rolling maul in our 22 from a line out and rumbling over the line. However, straight from the kick off, Mods did well to recover the ball and struck back instantly to correct the error, Newly returned to the fold No.8 James Armstrong-Holmes going over.
With a complete dominance over the Derby scrum, winning balls against the head at will, and a line out doing its best whilst missing a couple of established jumpers, our backs were enjoying enough possession to demonstrate that they were much superior to their counterparts, and the tries flowed at a regular rate - George Alcock went under the posts after an excellent support run when Tom Jackson broke the line (which he did almost at will all day), Tom Burston went in for his first try for the club in the corner, and Jackson got the try he deserved, even if in this instance it was only from snatching a cheeky interception.
However, the Mods mistakes were still creeping in, and Derby were able to keep up with out try rate, so at half time we only held the lead through successful conversions from Ben Hughes, who later suffered a nasty looking dislocated finger.
The half time team talk called for composure and for a bit more control whilst maintaining the expansive game plan. But it was ultimately a scrappy affair, with both teams desperate to grab the upper hand without earning it through imposing a game plan.
Luckily it was Moderns who struck, with Joe Slack doing some good harassing of his opposite winger fielding a kick and managing to come up with the ball and scamper under the posts. with the game remaining scrappy, a killer blow was needed, and captain Fitton thought it might as well be him to deliver it.
Having fielded a kick from fullback, he set off for the line with such a steely determination in his eyes many suspected that he had seen someone stealing his fags! But seriously, he managed to beat seemingly a whole team of defenders with an array of outrageous dummys and the fabled Fitton shimmy (which miraculously he managed to stay on his feet after!). It was such an effort was it that he announced he was 'too fucked' to take the conversion...
That was to be the last score, wrapping up a maximum points win and just as importantly denying Derby a losing bonus point. With plenty of positives from an attacking pint of view, if the errors and a bit of defensive rustiness can be ironed out then it promises to be another good league campaign.
Man of the match today was Tom Jackson -as it says he broke the line at will, his support play was excellent and he stood out defensively. Dick of the day was yours truly, awarded for excessive use of the boot. Not shoeing some helpless man on the floor, but rather trying to gently hack the ball through to the line, but managing to nearly score a conversion on the next pitch instead...
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