St Neots RUFC 2nd XV - Heathens vs Haverhill

After arranging 10 degree weather and 20 plus players, a motley crew of 12 headed off to Haverhill in 25 degree heat to take on a first team squad of 30 in their first league outing of the season.

Consequently, Haverhill expected a cricket score and after providing 3 players were extremely surprised to concede first after Fergal Sweeney galloped home from 10 metres. Matt King unusually missed the conversion muttering about a lack of tee.

However Heathens were buoyed by the unexpected dominance. Haverhill were soon to reply with a try of their own. The response from Heathens was swift, with Pete Sharp turning over ball and continuity awesome throughout, debutant Billy (like Madonna & Sia dispensing with the need for a surname) scoring almost under the posts following Matt King’s sliced kick pass. Once again the pesky tee (or lack thereof) was blamed for the missed conversion.

Reeling from the unexpected scoreline, Haverhill’s entire back line miraculously changed and ground out 2 more scores before the break, each celebrated as if it were Nov 2nd in Tokyo.

The next 20 minutes however, Heathens camped out in Haverhill’s 22 through phase after phase of relentless pressure increasing Haverhill’s frustration, culminating in a neck tackle, roll & dump on Billy after which he left the field injured, and the protagonist was lucky the card was just yellow.

Heathens continued to pressure but were unable to convert as Haverhill’s defence became ever more niggly. Losing Sam Buckenham & the evergreen Mark Ballard to injury (following the shortest retirement since Joe Marler).

Shortly after Haverhill’s back line changed for the second time and against the run of play a breakaway try was scored.

This proved to be the turning point, as fresh legs told in the heat, leaking 30 points in the last 20 minutes. Final score 55-10.

Man of the match could have been any of the 12 but was shared between the Buckenham “twins” of Paul & Sam for their persistence in the loose.

Regardless of the scoreline, the tireless commitment shown bodes well for the games to come & for Heathens next league fixture against Shelford on the 28th September at The Common.