Tags: Midlands 1 | Results

Out of sorts Street can’t blame anyone but themselves for this lackluster display despite good conditions in which to play rugby.
With prop Rich Siviter missing with a back injury sustained in training earlier in the week ‘Street were forced to reorganize the front row. Street started well and the first 20 minutes looked like the team that has done so well in the EDF Trophy run. Moments into the match Street penalised for offside within a kickable distance and were let off with a miscued kick by the Peterborough flyhalf, Ben Chan. Street’s pack were able to win ball against the head against a ‘Borough pack that outweighed them in every position. Street launched a number of attacks from good possession and stopped 5 m short of the goal line. Minutes later a shortside break by scrum half Nick Thatcher allowed Danny Richards to score a well‐taken try under the posts, which he converted. On the quarter hour ‘Street in possession in the ‘Borough 22 with a two man overlap No.8 Ady Hall inexplicably took contact instead of moving the ball wide for what would have been an easy try. Street continued pressuring Borough in their 22 when their openside flanker was adjudged to be slowing the ball in a ruck and was penalized and given a yellow card for his trouble. Street were up against it the lineouts a combination of inaccurate throwing from hooker Carl Southwell and against ‘Borough’s former Northampton lock Jon Phillips they had scant possession from that phase of the game. Peterborough capitalized on this and through good lineout ball scored an unconverted try out wide from their winger, Alex Ciuchlejus. Buoyed by the try Peterborough continued to press and almost scored another but for a superb last ditch tackle by Thatcher. As Peterborough gained in confidence so Street didn’t seem like the same team that played for the first 20 minutes. Poor ball skills at the back of the scrum from Hall led to a crunching tackle on him resulting in a rib injury, finishing his game and replaced by Mark Challis. Soon after No.6 Nigel Mukerati was yellow carded for hands in the ruck in the red zone. Peterborough took advantage of this and scored a further unconverted try in the corner.

Half Time Peterborough RFC 10 – 10 Broadstreet RFC

The second half started as the first ended with Street conceding two early penalties which Borough were unable to convert. A few minutes later Street were awarded a penalty, which Richards converted. Centre Alex Crofts took a hit from a Borough player, in which his knee was injured, finishing his game too. Apart from the scrummaging, Street’s game plan never seemed to get off the ground and things went from bad to worse allowing Borough too much control. Having said that another indiscretion by Borough delivered Street a further 3 points off the boot of Richards, this gave Street a 6‐point margin, which they were desperate to hang on to. However, a well‐worked converted try from Borough took them into the lead for the first time, with their heads up the pressure was on. All hopes of recovering were dashed 3 minutes from time when a try, from a pick up by a Borough back row, Pete Kolakowski, who blatantly knocked the ball on, but the referee, apparently unsighted, awarded the try which was duly converted.

Full Time
Peterborough RFC 24 – 16 Broadstreet RFC

So close and yet so far for Broadstreet RFC in their most exciting game played at great pace and with great ferocity. The Street started well and were rewarded following a break by scrumhalf Nick Thatcher with an early strike from winger Perry Pudge who crossed after only five minutes. Danny Richards converting.

Bridgwater were able to hit straight back when centre Louis Messer went over for the visitors with Luke Cozens kicking into blustery conditions watching his conversion sail wide. The contest continued with great ferrocity and on 24 minutes, Streets captain Eddie Simkiss was sent to the sin bin for not rolling away. The Street weathered the pressure and with Eddie Simkiss back on after his 10 minutes redeemed himself with a deserved captains try on 39 minutes . The conversion by Danny Richards just going the wrong side of the upright.

After the halftime break with the wind no longer in their face Bridgwater came out strong and pressurised Street. After some heroic defence with bodies put on the line unfortunately The Street ran out of men and the Bridgwater flyhalf Cozens crossed the line after 13 minutes. He converted his own try.

More pressure by Bridgwater resulted in a penalty and after 59 minutes, with Cozens not wasting the opportunity to creep the visitors into the lead for the first time. The Street fightback was immediate and some excellent work by Jordan Simpson saw the street man dive over the line for a well deserved try. His celebration afterwards also deserves a mention as the summersault was also faultless.

Another technical offence resulted in a penalty with Cozens striking the ball perfectly and put the visitors back in the lead with 5 minutes to go.

Broadstreet piled on the pressure with Danny Richards inches away following another brake attack by Broadstreets whole side with attacking rugby cheered on by the large amount of support at the Ivor Preece Field.

Another attack saw a drop goal attempt by Richards go the wrong side of the crossbar again by a matter of inches. At the final whistle to a great game that could have gone either way and the big guns in the next round await Bridgwater not Broadstreet.