Witney 14 – 47 Marlborough
Saturday marked the start of a potentially tough run of games for Marlborough, who are set to face three of the top five teams within the Regional 2 Tribute South Central League in the coming three weeks. Preparation was not helped by missing a game last week and having a particularly broken week of training (all due to the cold weather), which meant the boys would need to arrive at Witney switched on and ready to go. There was also one notable exception to the Marlborough travelling party: team manager and Marlborough Rugby stalwart Dave Pittams, who missed his first game in years after having a hip operation on Friday evening. Everyone from the Marlborough Rugby family wishes him a speedy recovery and hopes to see him back on the sidelines or in the bar as soon as possible.
The action started earlier than expected for Marlborough, and it wasn’t good news; fly-half Rich West injured his quad in the warm-up, forcing a re-shuffle of the back line. This saw player coach Vili (Viliami Hakalo) move into the number 10 shirt in what was his first game back since an injury in late November. Travelling reserve, Sione Binks came in to fill the final space on the bench.
The temperature may have been a little milder than it had been compared to the previous Saturday, but there was still quite a bite to the air. The slightly changed Marlborough team lined up to chase the kick, and there was some trepidation from the travelling supporters: would the boys be rusty from the lack of training and the lack of recent game time? They couldn’t afford to give Witney any time to build into the game. Any concern was soon brushed aside, however, as Marlborough showcased some solid defensive work in the opening minutes against a well-structured Witney attack, earning themselves a penalty on the halfway line five minutes in. For Marlborough’s first attacking line out, Will Grant nudged this to just outside the Witney 22. Witney did well to ensure the ball wasn’t clean, but some good tidy up work from front row player Simon Pilkington and a well angled run deep into the 22 gave Marlborough the momentum they needed. After a couple of quick pick and goes, Jack Lynd dived over the line for the first try of the game, which was converted by Will Grant.
Within a few minutes, Marlborough were back on Witney’s 5m line, this time with an attacking scrum, following an error at the back after more brilliant defensive pressure. Scrum won, and the ball was swung to the blind side, but the last pass to our flying winger Aka (Akariva Seruvatu) just missed the mark. That chance was gone, but Marlborough’s intentions were clear; they had turned up hungry and looking to play.
With Marlborough already exerting pressure around the pitch, it was now time for the pack to show some of their power at set pieces, which they did and won a scrum against the head, in front of the Witney posts, creating a great opportunity for points on the board; Will Grant knocked over the penalty, putting Marlborough 10 points ahead in just over twelve minutes.
Marlborough had built into the game nicely now and enjoyed playing with a bit more possession. The usual suspects carried powerfully into the Witney defence. A signature tackle breaking run from Jack Lynd broke Marlborough into the Witney half but ended only after his offload out the back (intended for winger Callum Hunt) landed in a chasing player’s hands.
However, the ball was quickly kicked back and collected by Will Reeve, who displayed some nice broken field running, beating defenders before passing to Aka on the wing to score. Grant’s conversion sadly hit the crossbar.
It was the set-piece dominance that led to Marlborough’s third try of the day. Another scrum won against the head on the Witney 22, and two slick passes on the gain line gave Will Reeve the opportunity to walk over the line unopposed. The immense defensive work across the pitch from Marlborough continued as the half drew on, forcing errors at ruck time and forcing more kicking from Witney.
The Marlborough back three looked at ease under high ball, and more broken-field play and a link-up from Will Reeve and Aka drove the boys into the opposition’s 22 on the thirty-minute mark. The forwards then took over and, after some good, tight carries, went around the ruck. Simon Pilkington trucked over for a well-deserved try, which was again converted by Grant.
There would be more to come from Marlborough before the whistle blew for halftime. Another attacking scrum on the Witney 22 and a well-timed pass from Will Grant to Vili, who crashed through two tackles before lifting the ball to Will Reeve, who again strolled over the line.
The halftime talk was filled with positive messages from the coaches and skipper Ollie Spanswick. More of the same was needed, don’t drop our concentration, make sure we execute our chances, and leave nothing on the pitch.
Half-Time: Witney 0 – 32 Marlborough
However, it was Witney who seemed to start the second half the brighter of the two sides. This was exacerbated when, in the 45th minute, an attempted interception by Simon Pilkington was deemed a deliberate knock on, and he was forced to take a ten-minute break. Two minutes later, Marlborough lost another man to the bin after a late tackle and some minor handbags; both Will Grant and the Witney openside flanker were shown yellow.
This was what Marlborough needed, it seems, as they scored the next two tries in quick succession. Both came from well-placed kicks into the 22, and both lineouts were won and well mauled by the Marlborough pack. Both are the result of excellent blindside handling. The first, front-row player, Lemeki Moala (Meki) showed some quick hands to put Jack Lynd in for his second of the game. The second came on sixty minutes, thanks to a nice pass from vice-captain Vili to skipper Ollie Spanswick, who dotted down in the corner.
As in any game, it is difficult to hold the ascendency for the full eighty minutes, and the next ten minutes went to Witney, who profited from a couple of Marlborough mistakes and a scrum penalty to score twice. Marlborough tightened up in the final ten minutes, desperate not to give Witney a point. From the game. The substitutes made their impact, and it was Marlborough who scored the final points, with Joe Pittams going over in the last minute to put the cherry on top of the result.
This was another dominant performance on the road for Marlborough, who will now shift their focus to the rearranged fixture away to Newbury Blues next weekend. The Man of the Match could have gone to any number of the players in black and amber. It was decided that it should be awarded to Will Reeve, who displayed his fantastic kicking ability, game control, and broken field running, not to mention a brace of tries as well.
Final Score: Witney 14 – 47 Marlborough
Danny Kruger MP visits Burbage Primary School
