Melbourne entered the new year lying 2nd in the league with two games in hand and a goodish points difference, and found themselves playing one of two teams we had not yet come up against, All Spartans OB's who were in their first year in the league but had won a few games. 

Match Report

Melbournes team was missing Pete Bichall and Ian Lucas, but Bob Stowell returned at prop and Keir in the back row, in the centres Merve had opted to give Dave Middleton a run and also give Young John James a half at hooker.

Highlight of the journey to All Spartans was Euan getting stopped by the police but Melbourne were first out on the pitch and ready and waiting for the All Spartans team who had forgotten their shirts. The pitch was narrow and sloped to one corner, Melbourne opted to play up hill in the first half.

Captain Merve was keen for Melbourne to use its backs, especially as he had been frustrated in the last two games by our inability to turn pressure into points in the backs.

Melbourne kicked off and were on the front foot, for the first ten minutes we camped in the All Spartans 22 and set up scoring chance after scoring chance only for Keir to drop the ball twice over the line and for a few other odd reasons for not scoring to take place, eventually the ball came out of the back of a scrum and Devany darted over from close range to score under the posts 7-0, this was swiftly followed by a penalty 10-0.

Dave Middleton in the centres kept bashing though at short range and eventually he too got a try to make the score 17-0.

In the tight Melbourne were doing fine, Bobs added bulk meant that All Spartans had their ball disrupted and apart from one unlucky bounce Melbourne held theirs fairly easily. In the line out Melbourne had a field day only loosing two all day despite the All Spartans jumpers being about 6 foot 10, Keir disrupted and the towering figure of Mace at the back of the line kept picking up the lose ball.

In the backs it was great to see Melbourne going through the moves off the training pitch, and getting the ball out wide, the pitch was heavy and narrow but we still made good ground.

In the lose Mace, Keir and Merve kept recycling the ball and it was clear the slimmer but less healthy All Spartans team were beginning to tire.

The next Melbourne scorer was Judgie who worrying lad started popping up on the wing, and then Keir finally got a try (ironically he did drop the ball but the ref did not see it) following good work by the forwards at close range.

Euan got a couple of penalties and at Half time it was 32-0.

Merve was happy with the performance but wanted more points and made a couple of changes with Andy Watts coming on for the rapidly aging Deano and Pop for James at Hooker. (James had played V Well)

Normal service was resumed in the 2nd half with more tries, following a break by Pop, Judgie got his 2nd, Euan nipped in for one and then Keir broke at pace to get his 2nd, Judgie then picked up the ball on the win and ran in his hat trick, (he claimed he was doing up his shoe lace, not loitering on the wing again). Steve Bell came on for Mace but Melbourne continued to press Euan got another Penalty.

Melbourne began to play a lot looser and perhaps lose a bit of focus and whilst All Spartans pressed the Melbourne half the ball fell to Stringer who ran the length of the pitch to score under the posts.

In the 2nd half Melbourne continued to dominate in the line and seemed to have a better time in the scrums pushing back All Spartans. Some of the Melbourne handling was more like the Harlem globe trotters than a rugby team with off loads in tackles and the most unlikely players flipping the ball about between each other. All Spartans were run around from one side of the pitch to the other but never gave up.

Keir sustained a nasty couple of knees to the ribs from a fly half with a couple of minutes to go, and the last 5 minutes of the game were played out with All Spartans pressing the Melbourne line.

Final score 70-0

Merve declared himself very please with he performance and young John James at Hooker deserves a mention. The moves we worked on in training came off and where at Chesterfield we had just as much ball but far fewer points we converted our pressure to points by sticking to the game plan.

Top quality cheesy potatoes after the game and curly chips, Yogi Bear was Smithy and Devany got to drink 1/2 a pint of creamy liquid that Pete and Merve had prepared together.

Next week its old rivals Tupton, who bet us last year. at home in the league in what promises to be a tough encounter.