Melbourne made the lengthy trip up the A52 to Boston for this Round 3 Junior Vase match. Un-beaten this season so far and with a near full strength side available morale was obviously high.

Match Report

We knew that Boston were also having a good season and had beaten most sides convincingly at home to date, so a hard competitive match was expected.

Melbourne kicked off with the wind at their backs and the sun high in the sky behind them. This advantage failed to show as the Boston full back and wings linked effectively with their well drilled pack to counter attack time and time again following high and long kicks from Euen and Fossie.

Melbourne defense was solid and each attack was thwarted albeit a little further up the field towards the Melbourne try line. The scrummage was strong for Melbourne and on most occasions the Boston pack were pushed backwards, special mention to Raging Bull Bob (snort, snort)

The first try was inevitable after such sustained pressure and it was not surprising that their winger scored in the corner. Soon after this a penalty was conceded in front of the post to increase the score to 8:0.

Melbourne could not seem to retain the ball for any length of time and for the first time this season the backs were starved of any quality ball. Euen missed a couple of attempts at goal.

Boston continued to attack Melbourne and it often took two tacklers to bring the strong running forwards to the ground, Keir and Deano had to make two try saving tackles, Deans tackle proving costly as he had to leave the field with a head injury, Matt Brown replaced Dean.

Boston scored a further try before half time to increase the score to 13:0.

Melbourne found themselves in unfamiliar territory at half time with a game they had to chase and having had very little possession to do anything about it, Merv made a Gladiator style speech that could be heard at Grantham and everyone was ready to take the game back to Boston.

Boston’s attack was relentless and the Melbourne defense was time and time again being stretched. Within ten minutes of the re-start Boston were winning 30:0 after scoring three tries, the last one being a little dubious after the player had rolled about six times after being tackled to score.

Paul Devanney had to leave the field with a suspected fracture to his cheek, followed soon after by Steve Bell, Nick Parkes and Ian Lucas replacing.

Melbourne did manage to work their way into the Boston 22 and were unlucky not to narrow the score when Keir crashed through the lineout only to drop the ball over the try line.

Merv decided that the score line would not stay at 0 and took the kick to posts following a penalty in the Boston 22, Euen kicking 28:3.

Following the kick off, Melbourne were turned over and the Boston Fly half struck a drop goal from about 40 yards out. Boston finished the game with two more tries in the last 10 minutes 47:3.

Maybe the sight of the Leicester Tigers Coach had a few Boston people worried before the game but it was definitely the Melbourne Kittens who returned to the coach after the game.

Thanks to Boston RFC for the after match banter and Yeeeeeee Haaaaaaaa to one and all!!!!!

Boston's Report

What a difference a week makes. After last Saturdays game, Boston emerged from the changing rooms a transformed team, to produce a significantly improved performance and secure their place in the third round of the EDF Cup.

This eventually turned out to be a comprehensive victory, with Boston Staff Smart scoring 34 points in an impressive second half display of open running rugby, with centre Darryn Barratt recording a deserved hatrick.

A number of changes were made to last weeks squad by Coach Ray Haywood with the introduction of two new players. In the forwards second row Ryan Shelford a New Zealand import made his first team debut and at scrum half the team welcomed the return of Kenny Lyons.

In the first half playing against the wind and strong winter sunshine, both elements the visitors failed to capitalise on, Boston remained camped in the Melbourne half. In the forwards number eight Ben Hauserman and Ryan Shelford were making strong surging runs in the loose and both backs and forwards were looking to off load the ball in contact and keep the ball alive. After 5 minutes Boston through winger Peter Stubley scored the first of their two first half tries, when he outpaced the opposition defence to score in the corner. A converted penalty by Rhys Gosling shortly after was reward for Boston's mounting pressure to take them into a deserved 8 points to nil lead.

With Boston testing the defensive tackling of the Melbourne team, it was inevitable that before long they would secure further points. Fullback Paul Jarvis finished off a flowing move which moved first right and then left across the pitch to move Boston into a 13 points to nil position at half time.

The second half would prove to be an explosive encounter in more than one way, as Boston came out of the starting blocs in impressive fashion. With the majoirity of the spectators still in the club house gaining refreshments, Boston and centre Darryn Baratt scored two tries within two minutes as the home team move effortlessly into a 25 points to nil advantage.The second courtesy of an individual solo break by Captain Rhys Gosling which split the Melbourne defence wide open. Rhys would prove instrumental in securing centre Darryn Baratt's hat trick when a perfectly judged grubber kick 10 metres out enabled Darrryn Barratt to run on and score under the posts.

At this stage with victory assured , Coach Ray Hayward brought on hooker Craig Dowse to replace Ritchie Collins, James Fendyke for Marc Miles and Anthony Buckberry for Nigel Lane . Further tries by winger Peter Stubley to gain his brace and an interception try from the half way line by Rhys Gosling, followed by a monster drop kick inside the visitos half, would only added salt into Melbounes wounds, when tempers flared towards the end of the match.