Melbourne's league season got of to a convincing start against League New Boys Meden Vale, the Melbourne team was virtually unchanged with Pop coming in for Nathan at Hooker, and a rotation of the subs.

Match Report

The Meden Vale team looked a lot like the Anstey Team from last week , apart from a familiar looking North Derbyshire Centre who seems to have moved clubs and was clearly their danger man.

The game was played in warm conditions with little wind but the ground was not too hard.

Merve wanted us to put into practice some of things from training and from the off we did.

Melbourne were soon camped in the Meden Vale 22 and looking like scoring, Keir came close from a line out move but Vale held out and eventually cleared their lines unfortunately to Andy Watts who ran back the ball in a jinking run scoring 7-0.

The game then entered a 20 minute period where Melbourne had a lot of territory and managed to pressurize Meden Vale into giving a way a string of penalties, in kickable range, Euan obliged and soon the score was 16-0.

Then another forward drive led to Steve Bell almost going over but the ball was recycled and Rob Foster scored out wide, once more ignoring a significant overlap. 21-0 at half time.

Melbourne had played well all half, the backs had looked threatening all the time and Meden Vale seldom got in theMelbourne Half, in the line Melbourne won their own ball and disrupted Meden Vale ball without really having to jump for it, as they kept tapping back.

In the scums Melbourne are still struggling to find the right mix and although by and large we won our won ball, we were not happy bunnies.

One of the most encouraging parts of the display was the reduction in penalties given away by Melbourne, who did not over commit as badly in rucks where most are given away.

In the 2nd half Merve asked for more of the same and committed to racking up as many points as he could. Meden Vale had five minute spell at first but soon it was business as usual and from a solid scrum the ball found Watts who cut inside to make it 28-0. From then on in it was all Melbourne from every re start the ball would find Pete Welsh who would run 20 yards off load to Keir and a new attack would start.

Meden Vale did get two penalty chances but missed both, Deano was the next to score, jinking very slowly down the wing and selling an outrageous dummy, this was then followed by another try for Fossi and a couple of penalties that Euan converted, with 20 minutes to go it was 44-0, Merve took the opportunity to bring on the subs, but even in the last quarter Melbourne continued to pressurize and Wattsscores again to make the final score 51-0 (though the ref later said 47-0)

It was clear that the extra level of fitness we have this year is making a real difference to the team Pete Welsh and Steve Bell are rejunivinated (fitness coach manuel must be very pleased) and the backs are enjoying themselves for the first time in a couple of years with Euan and Fossie looking great together.

Steve Bell put in a storming 1st half and Keir was equally outstanding in the 2nd,

Its still to be seen what will happen when we come up against tougher opposition , we still have not played against a team with a good line out jumper and have not been made to pay for the weakness in the scrums, but there are players still to come back and Melbourne would not have put 51 points on Meden Vale last year.

Good aftermatch revel's with Watts having to drink a yard of ale and was not sick like Nathan.

Team

1. Stowell
2. Lakin
3. Lowson
4. Breakwell
5. Walsh
6. Biggins
7. Bell
8. Barr
9. Watts
10. Holden
11. Stringer
12. Foster
13. Devanny
14. Middleton
15. Sylvestor
16. Bennett
17. Parkes