Rugby - Biggleswade Men's 1sts: Forwards boss the show at home to Luton

Biggleswade Men's 1sts 22 - 19 Luton Men's 1sts

Last week Luton scored 100 points against Northampton Men’s Own, and arrived at Biggleswade on Saturday thinking they might do the same. After ten minutes another high score looked on the cards, as they quickly scored two tries (one converted).

But that was it for more than an hour as Biggy woke up and played like they have done for the past few weeks.

The revival began when the forwards started and finished off a flowing passage of play downfield. Dom Nott strong-armed his way over, which was just reward for his rumbustious afternoon.

Nott is currently playing at hooker and like any good No 2 he puts himself about a bit. The opposition marked him out as a threat to their defence and tried unsuccessfully to quench his fire.

It was a game which flowed from one end to the other with neither side being able to exert sustained pressure. Both defences were solid. There were occasions when Luton seemed certain to score but Biggleswade held out, easing the pressure with a penalty won or a brave counter-attack from near their own line.

The dynamics of the game altered when the game was switched to the third pitch (at right angles to the main playing area), to allow ambulance access to a suspected neck injury to the Luton hooker. Thankfully this turned out not to be serious.

Biggleswade lost the second toss for the choice of ends. The second half started with a penalty to Biggy, playing down the slight slope. They looked more confident and another score looked likely.

Biggleswade were stronger in the tight scrums and the driving maul with their pack bossing the show. The atmosphere was more intense with the large crowd closer to the pitch and massed on the clubhouse side of the ground.

Biggy battered away at the Luton line with waves of flowing three-quarter moves based on the forward power. Eventually the dam was pierced with a returning player, the giant lock James Emerson, bursting over.

Now on level terms, Biggleswade were threatening to score again. A stray pass went begging and Kareem Davies was bundled into touch inches short after a scything run down the wing. But he still had a part to play.

Biggleswade took the lead from a rolling maul with prop Kyle Loan getting the touchdown.

The icing on the cake was applied when winger Davies dived over in the corner.

Luton came back to get another converted try but it was too little too late.

The result was Biggleswade’s third win on the trot. Coach Jimmy Hart was ecstatic about the win in the post-match huddle: “This was a much bigger test than previous games. This is a fantastic result which set my heart rate racing at the power and the passion you showed.”

Team: Jimmy Caulfield, Dom Nott, Kyle Loan, Jake Devereux, James Emerson, Jamie Alford, Luke Dillinger, Elliot Tunstall, Jack Sharp, Ben Cowling, Tom Anderson, Chris Horgan, Gavin Taylor, Jakub Grabowski, Kareem Davies, Matt Cowley, Dan Rogers.

MATCH REPORT: Nigel AldisPHOTOS: Lisa Dillinger