The only two unbeaten teams in the league, Rolls Royce and Melbourne came up against each other for what is likely to be one of the league's deciding games. 

Match Report

Rolls Royce had one 7 on the trot including victories over Uttoxeter and Buxton, both teams that had run Melbourne close, but Melbourne are themselves on a good run and last weeks 39-0 defeat of promotion rivals Belper had laid down a marker.

The Melbourne Team had only a couple of changes with flying machine Stringer being replaced by the very brown Dave Middleton and Young John James coming at Loosehead with old David Lowson going to tighthead. Pop also started at Hooker.

Melbourne arrived promptly but once more were beaten to the warm up by Rolls Royce who like Belper last week seemed to have a very professional warm up sorted out.

Melbourne did the unusual run throughs and then Merve made it clear to everyone what was expected, Deano who 'works' at Royce's was of the opinion that the Rolls Royce team would be well drilled but that we should mix it up a bit with them and we could win out. The feeling was that the game would be close but that Melbourne could win if we played to our potential.

Melbourne sauntered onto the pitch in dribs and drabs whilst Rolls Royce appeared like a red arrows formation and seemed to be taking the game very seriously.

For all the professionalism of the warm up and journey to the pitch Rolls Royce had forgotten the match ball and so the kick off was delayed, Melbourne opted to play up the slope and against the wind in the first half. Due to the lack of a ball Melbourne were awarded a penalty, from Which Euan made good ground, from the resulting line the ball was taken very cleanly and Melbourne began a 25 yard drive to the Rolls Royce line, this was held up but from the resulting ruck, Rob Foster nipped in to score from the first play of the game the conversion went over from Euan 7-0 but we suspected things could get tougher. Rolls Royce tried hard to get back into the game and won a penalty 7-3.

The game settled and for the next 15 minutes Melbourne had the upper hand, the line out was going well and Rolls Royce were not using the wind well, the scrums were a mess for both side, but its fair to say that Rolls Royce had clearly trained and kept shouting 1,2,3,4 very loudly as the two teams engaged. Melbourne though were having most of the ball and territory, Rolls Royce kept picking up at the base of rucks and driving close to the breakdown, but Melbourne and the ageless Millennium back row, kept wrapping them up and eventually turning the ball over.

Any moves tried by the Rolls Royce backs took place before they reached the gain line so were easy to defend against. Melbourne then scored again Judgie took Rolls Royce line out ball and Euan nipped in to score 14-3.

It was really nice to see Melbourne playing some of the moves we had trained on, and also for them to be proving effective.

Shortly after Euan kicked a penalty but hit the post, his only miss of the day (great effort in the wind) Melbourne then began to mess about a bit, the line outs went to pieces a bit with some confusion in the Melbourne ranks and a bought of white line fever badly effected some of our younger players, the Rolls Royce fly half discovered his kicking boots and started to drive Melbourne deep into the corner with the wind. From one deep lineout, Rolls Royce secured Melbourne ball and from the resulting ruck the Rolls Royce scrum half who looked good all game nipped in close to the break down to score a converted try 14-10. Shortly afterwards Rolls Royce again got a line out in Melbourne territory and got another penalty 14-13 with 5 minutes to half time.

From the re start Melbourne themselves got a penalty to make it 17-13 for the award of the Penalty Macer had up ended the Rolls Royce scrum half and hilariously thrown him (or his leg) and aging prop David Lowsons Head which may a really good thudding noise. Half time. The difference between Rolls Royce and Belper the week before was that Rolls Royce kept on trying all half, maybe if we had not got greedy at 14-3 we could have been 20 odd points up and Rolls Royce heads would have dropped but they had fought back. James went off at Half time to be replace by Keir with Merve going to tight head.

The 2nd half got underway and as was fairly predictable Rolls Royce drove hard at Melbourne against the elements, but unlike Rolls Royce Melbourne kicked well and could force Rolls Royce back. The scrums had also changed about and Melbourne began to push Rolls Royce of their own ball. 

After a series of forward drives into the Rolls Royce 22 Melbourne span the ball out though all the backs with Matt Brown coming in off his wing to pass to Dave Middleton who scored in the corner 24-13.

Following more Melbourne pressure Devanny did a carbon Copy of the Rolls Royce try and nipped in to score 31-13. The arrival of a very fired up Kier meant that we were now running back the restarts with real aggression, and it was at this point of the game that Rolls Royce began to lose form. Euan kicked another penalty and then Pete Ilott with his first touch after coming on for Matt Brown dove in from almost a yard out to score 41-13.

There were some superb drives by the forwards

The game then became a bit fast and lose with Melbourne flipping little pass's about and generally turning off a bit, Rolls Royce huffed and puffed near the Melbourne line a couple of times but an emotional Pete Welsh made us re group and fight back up field. Euan got two more penalties to make the final score 47-13.

Melbourne were elated and pleased with the performance, Rolls Royce looked dejected. Watching ex coach Mandy Hold-on was heard to utter only three words ' that was a really great performance lads well done'

It did seem far too simple for Melbourne and later Rolls Royce claimed they had 9 1st team players missing, so clearly playing against only 6 people had made our job easier.

In summary a great win for Melbourne that has thrown the league wide open for us, Rolls Royce played better than their recent teams but their style of play helped Melbourne as it allowed up get turnover ball and use our backs.

I hope captain Merve is pleased again.

Team

1. James
2. Lakin
3. Lowson
4. Judge
5. Walsh
6. Macer
7. Barr
8. Lucas
9. Devany
10. Holden
11. Middleton
12. Foster
13. Fulton
14. Brown
15. Sylvestor
16. Ilott
17. Biggins