This local derby was quite evenly contested for the first twenty minutes of the game with both sides defending strongly. It was probably with twenty minutes gone that the game saw its first scrummage and the difference between the two sides became apparent. 

Rolls Royce lost their own scrum ball, Ian Lucas made good ground from the base of the scrum and with good quick hands across the backs Rob Foster entered the line at pace and scored his first league try for Melbourne to the right of the posts, the last ditch tackle by Rolls Royce was adjudged high by the referee and so a penalty try was awarded, 7:0 to Melbourne.

This was the edge Melbourne needed and within minutes of the restart had worked there way back into the Royces 22mtr, where Dean Sylvester found a gap in the opposition defense to score against his work colleagues. James Perry added the conversion to finish the first half scoring 14 :0.

The game was a fairly scrappy affair in the second half with the referee awarding penalty after penalty for continued infringements, James Perry slotting over another 3 points for the home side. Melbourne continued to dominate the set pieces and from a mistake at the base of the Rolls Royce scrum the Melbourne back row were quick to pounce on a loose ball for Nick Parkes to score another try, Perry missing the conversion 22:0.

Rolls Royce lifted their game towards the end of the match and after a series of penalties in the Melbourne 22 scored a try under the posts to bring the score to 22:7.

Melbourne bought on Nigel Breakwell for his 1st XV debut at second row and coach Andy Holden joined him in the second row for the final 10 minutes, unfortunately for Holden he was pulled up for a deliberate offside within minutes of being on the pitch and was shown the yellow card, Melbourne having to play the final minutes with fourteen players.

Andy Watts scored a late try for Melbourne wide out near the touch line, Perry missing the conversion. Deep into injury time and another penalty in the Melbourne 22 Rolls Royce spun the ball well across the pitch and used the overlap to their advantage to score a try in the corner. The final score 27:12 to the green and golds.A special mention to Man of the match Rob Foster who put in a performance that will make selection very interesting.

With tough games to come against Derby University and Dronfield, Melbourne will have to watch the penalty count.

Team

1. Clayborn
2. Cox
3. Collins
4. Judge
5. Sparkes
6. Parkes
7. Macer
8. Lucas
9. Parkinson
10. Sylvester
11. Watts
12. Foster
13. Ilott
14. Thornton
15. Perry
16. Breakwell
17. Holden
18. Fulton