Herts/Middlesex 2

Royston RFC 22-20 Old Grammarians

ROYSTON Rugby Club secured a tense victory over Old Grammarians in what was an exciting match on The Heath on Saturday.

Royston started on the front foot and quickly scored their first try when fly-half Michael Schurch broke away following a strong Royston scrum and Tristan Tegg went over to score and converted try.

Royston added to their lead soon afterwards with a penalty kick from Schurch. However Old Grammarians responded well and got back into the game through a penalty and an unconverted try as they went into the break 10-8 to the good.

After the break Royston started slowly and Old Grammarians were able to take advantage by getting their second try of the match, which was successfully converted.

Royston hit back and tries were created by some good driving play in the forwards by Nick Alford and Loui Dummett, which allowed quick ball to the backs where Tegg exploited a gap in the defence to break the line and offload to Rolo Sparks who went over for the try, which was unconverted.

Royston started to turn the screw and were showing total dominance in both scrum and lineout.

Royston then scored another try through Schurch, this time the conversion was good. At this point Royston were racing away to victory but couldn’t put the match to bed.

Old Grammarians did not give up and were rewarded for their hard work with a converted try close to the end of the game, to trail by two points. This set up a tense finish and after Scott Easy’s sin-binning with 12 minutes to go the lead looked precarious. Royston’s older heads tried to run the clock down and Tegg and Schurch kept Grammarians pinned in their own half, but with the last play of the match Royston conceded a penalty 30 yards out.

The reliable Grammarians fly-half stepped up as the crowd hushed, before his kick was caught by a gust of wind and fell short of the posts into the grateful arms of Fouracres who duly punted the ball up the field as the referee’s whistle meant Royston had won the match in tense circumstances.