Biggleswade Vets 15 Royston Vets 0 ROYSTON games against Biggleswade arealways a bruiser. After last year s game which Royston narrowly won, Biggleswade were looking for revenge. It was unfortunate that a society referee could not be found as the contact

Biggleswade Vets 15 Royston Vets 0

ROYSTON games against Biggleswade arealways a bruiser. After last year's game which Royston narrowly won, Biggleswade were looking for revenge.

It was unfortunate that a society referee could not be found as the contact areas were tough and both teams had a player in the 10 minute sin bin.

Biggleswade used there big pack with rolling mauls and pick up goes which sucked in the Royston defence and it was not long into the game that their first try was scored under the posts which was duly converted.

Their second try was from a quickly taken tapped penalty after 10 metres had been conceded, which was also within the area five metres from the Royston line.

Royston, though, started the better. From the kick off Stuart Highland caught the ball and charged for the Biggleswade line. From a series of quick rucks and quick hands down the back line a try was close only to see a penalty conceded and Biggleswade cleared the danger. This was the tone of the whole match, with a high penalty count against Royston.

Royston fought well with Eddie Crowe and Stuart Highland joining Paul Rabbetts in the back row for the first time as Vets players.

Their tackling on Biggleswade's big men often disrupted their attacking moves.

Paul Dredge in the front row for the first time in 20 years in a competitive match took a little time to settle but in the second half was driving in the scrummages and providing a good support to Billy Payne who, as always, was right into the areas of contact where it hurts to pinch and disrupt Biggleswade's play.

In the second half Royston moved the ball quickly away from the Biggleswade pack and their big men began to tire.

Young Will Cottrell playing his first season in the seniors and still learning had a tremendous game at fly half and looked to bring in the straight no-nonsense running of Ronnie Barker and Steve Crook. He was not frightened to make the quick break himself and for his all round play he was awarded the Royston player of the match.

The quick ball had Royston attacking for much of the second half but they could just not cross the Biggleswade line. Neil Smith was twice cleanly through only to be tackled on both occasions with head high tackles which went unpunished but unfortunately this was the nature of this bruising match.

Royston: D Howell, B Payne, K Dredge, R Phillips, J Cottrell, E Crowe, S Highland, P Rabbetts, D Leighton, W Cottrell, C Murdoch, R Barker, S Crook, D Retsima, N Smith. Subs: S Luckman, D Mckeon, P Lawrence, T Payne