Conversion kings gain Vets victory
Potton 12 Royston Vets 14 Conversions proved to be the key as Royston won a tight game at Potton on Saturday. Potton s pitch is narrow and has never suited Royston s style of wishing to spin the ball wide and so the game became very congested in the middl
Potton 12 Royston Vets 14
Conversions proved to be the key as Royston won a tight game at Potton on Saturday.
Potton's pitch is narrow and has never suited Royston's style of wishing to spin the ball wide and so the game became very congested in the middle of the park. Kicking needed to be accurate and three of the game's tries came from errors in not dealing with them in defence.
Royston started well with the pack soon getting the better in the scrummages. Royston props, Tim Boyce and Richard Gutteridge dominated the front row and one of the Potton props retired early injured and with no replacement the scrummages went uncontested.
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The line-outs were also Royston's. Colin Letch and Jason Downes easily secured their own throws but also pinched the Potton throws. Stuart Highland at the tail of the line-out cleared up the loose.
Despite Royston's early dominance Potton scored first. A bad bounce of the ball allowed Potton over the line near the posts and they converted.
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But it was not long before Royston scored. Colin Dacey kicked over the Potton defence and with Cameron Murdoch's speed he collected the ball before Potton and he passed back inside for Colin Letch to dive over with defenders hanging on to him.
The second half became quite scrappy and tempers boiled over. Jason Downes was sin-binned for a professional foul, but a Potton player was binned soon after for foul play. Potton scored again because of a Royston defensive mistake, but this time there was no conversion
Royston soon responded with their second try and again a kick over, this time by fly-half Neil Smith, Cameron Murdoch's speed was onto it and his pass this time found Steve Crook for the five points. Colin Dacey converted to nudge Royston two points ahead.
The one really good move with interchange passing between forwards and backs which man-of-the-match Brian Bergen finished to score was disallowed because of a forward pass.
Royston: R Gutteridge, J Shacklton, T Boyce, B Bergen, J Downes, S Rees, S Highland, C Letch , C Dacey, N Smith, C Murdoch, S Bristow, S Crook, R Barker, P Dacey.
