So the 2nd XV, safe in the knowledge that their excellent performance throughout the year had secured them 2nd spot in the Pennant Group 2 at the first time of asking were rewarded for all their efforts by the club laying on a coach trip for them to go and wrap up their league season in Kesteven.
The stage was set for a great finale – the coach arrived, the driver was sound, the conditions played right into our hands, finny turned up on time and Fitton turned up with enough booze to ensure that he would be safely at home in bed by 7pm.
But we forgot one crucial detail – that we meant to go and give Kesteven a similar sort of beating that we administered to them before Christmas in much less favourable conditions. From the start we were soon 2 tries down, the larger Kesteven pack giving Mods a lesson in ball retention and the Kesteven ‘back line’ (the fly half later confirmed that he and his inside centre topped the scales at 41 stones between them) taking advantage of Moderns still being on the bus. Moderns eventually kicked into life, clawing the two tries back in 5 minutes, Fitton putting Armstrong Holmes over with a Hollywood through the legs pass, and Jim Feasey crossing untouched after taking a quick penalty in the Kesteven 22 after Burrows and Finny showed good speed and hands in carving some 40 yards between them through the middle of the pitch. Yes, it does say Burrows and Finny. This was to be the last time the Moderns truly looked like winning the game though.
Kesteven may have done their homework about our game plan, or in a far more likely scenario they may just breed backs who would not be out of place in a scrum, but Moderns struggled to retain clean ball when we went wide due to our opponents’ willingness and ability to counter ruck. This meant that we could not execute our game plan to any effect. Kesteven scored again and we went in behind at half time. The second half started a little more brightly, with some good work in Kesteven territory released our flying winger to scamper over from 20 yards. What? What do you mean it was Finny?! The fourth and final Moderns try soon followed after some excellent work from centres Alcock and Rollings in broken play. I do not recall who scored it (due to being buried in a ruck, not from beer related memory loss - honest).
Kesteven stuck to the task at hand and their spoiling game killed any Moderns continuity, and unusually for the 2nd team this season ill discipline set in, with a string of penalties allowing Kesteven good field position. With the referee losing patience with some of the more vocal moderns players, Kesteven got the necessary field position to score the tries to take the game, some of them perhaps aided by Moderns thoughts turning prematurely to the beers sitting in the changing room…
An unfortunate result for what should have been a celebratory day, but it was swiftly forgotten after an enjoyable, if highly lubricated bus ride home (this wasn’t from the beer, but rather the flood of molten ice that nearly drowned everyone on the coach – excellent work Fitton!). Some friendlies still remain to be played in the last few weeks of the season, and hopefully they will allow a successful swansong to another solid season from the clubs’ second team.
Dick of the day – Ed Lisley – 6 months at a fine, reputable university and the boy could not come up with one song for the coach back! |