Broadstreet beat Rugby Lions RFC comfortably on Saturday with a comprehensive 6 - 2 victory for the U9s against their Rugby counterparts prior to the 1st XV game at Webb Ellis Road.  Rumours were rife that a significant number of the Rugby Lions starting team were absent in a dispute over the expected penny sweets not being stuffed into their boots at the previous match.  For many of the Broadstreet travelling fans who made the ten minute journey through the leafy Warwickshire villages from Coventry, this was going to be the only small solice in a day where most were anticipating a mauling from the Lions .... Or was it,?  writes Luke Truslove.

There were a number of changes from the side that comfortably dispatched Newport (Salop) RFC last week with injured Eddie Simkiss being replaced by Chris Dodd in the Back Row, unavailable Jordan Simpson being swapped for Wing Dan 'Chemo' Phillips and Jon Duncan being replaced at Full Back by former Rugby Lion Ian Renard.  Nick Pratt returned to the Second Row as James Rooke was back 'walking the beat'/eating doughnuts, whilst there were some fresh faces on the bench as local lads James Taberer and Jamie Webb made their 1st XV debuts from the bench.  It was also good to see a couple of familiar faces in the Rugby Lions line-up with former Street fans' favourite Nigel Mukarati in at Number 8 and all time IRB Sevens record point scorer Ben Gollings at Fly Half.  7-0

Early pressure from 'The Galacticos' resulted in some dominant field position and a lineout near to the Street line, Ben Dawes was judged to have committed a professional foul by pulling down a maul to prevent a score and was sent to the Bin on five minutes.  Broadstreet rallied with some tight defence and swept back up the pitch, however this hard work was undone instantaneously when a Broadstreet mistake was pounced on by the rapid Lions back-line sprinting 75 metres to be finished by Ben Gollings.  Ten minutes later last season's National 3 top try scorer Ade Hales took this campaign's tally to 22 in thirteen games when he bagged 'The Galacticos' second Try in the corner around the twenty minute mark.  Both conversions were taken by Leigh 'Points Machine' Hinton, a Leeds Carnegie winger in the Premiership last season.  12-0

Broadstreet did not let their heads go down and increased the physicality with Centre Todd Freemantle breaking a number of tackles to threaten the Lions' try-line.  However, it was a deft touch from young Fly Half Scott Harman who finished superbly with a Touch Line hugging dive for the Try Line that earned Broadstreet's first points and himself consideration for a Wing berth next week.  He rounded off his effort with a superb conversion from the Touch Line to bring 'Street within five.  12-7

Broadstreet showed some strong determined defence for the rest of the half but a couple of contentious decisions surrounding the lineout meant that Rugby Lions had good field position as the First Half neared it's conclusion.  Another catch'n'drive, this time executed much better by Lions, was pushed over the line and scored by last season's Nottingham Prop Ben 'No Wikipedia Page' Buxton in the last play of the Half.  However, despite leading by twelve points, former Barkers' Butts RFC player Neil Back let the deep-rooted auld rivalry with Broadstreet take control of him, as he gave 'The Galacticos' a verbal lashing at Half Time.

After Half Time Broadstreet continued to provide good competition and when they conceded a penalty in a kickable position, Rugby Lions opted for the posts for apparently only the second time this season, Leigh Hinton bagging another three points.  Lions scored their fourth try of the game fifteen minutes into the Second Half when Nigel 'The Power' Mukarati cut an incisive running-line off a lineout, broke through onto the Street Full Back and fed the oncoming former England 7s player Andy Vilk to score an easy try.  29-7

Broadstreet held Lions for another fifteen minutes in which they continued to display fantastic commitment and physicality and in some cases proved themselves the better player when put in direct comparison with their opposite man.  In particular Broadstreet's Back Row of Ziggy Zutic, Chris Dodd and Will Parkes were tirelessly effective all game and Props Ben Dawes and Colm Jones provided stability against ridiculously experienced opposition, which considering the young age of all five players, bodes well for the club's future.  Unfortunately, with ten minutes to go, the speed and fitness of the Lions side took it's toll and the increasingly tired defence allowed a second Pushover Try for former Wasps Prop Nick Adams.  34-7 

This was quickly followed up when three full-timers conspired; Ben Gollings and Peter Wackett combining to exploit the growing gaps in defence allowing Leigh Hinton to cross and convert.  41-7 

With five minutes to go Nick Thatcher managed to slip past a couple of Lions players on the 22 to score with Scott Harman converting.  41-14 

Unfortunately, as with the First Half, Lions were able to bag some points in the last play with a try by Scrum Half Dan Needham which turned the scoreline into a bit of a tanking and wasn't really a fair reflection of a competitive game.  48-14 

All in all Broadstreet can be proud of their performance against probably the best side in National 3 and National 2, they did not resort to any cheap tactics to try and even up the match and I am sure the large crowd of 600 people appreciated what was an honest and entertaining encounter between the two sides.

MotM - Despite a number of sit-downs from Ed Machipitchu and some great play from others, Will Parkes put in a number of bone-shuddering tackles in an effective Back Row display. 

DotD - Fair play to Nigel Mukarati who looked to be one of the better players in a star-studded 'Galacticos' side, however a White jersey just doesn't suit you - much better in Green and Red.