Spirited Biggy beat Leicester Forest

After a string of three defeats, with the disappointment of last week when they lost to a last minute penalty, Biggleswade were determined to do better.

Coach Shane Manning was pleased with the result saying after the game that the team had shown a lot more spirit this week and had won when they might well have lost.

Biggleswade scored two tries through Shane Austin and Sacha Heath and Luke Haverly kicked a couple of penalties. The visitors scored a converted try and a penalty.

There were six changes from last week’s squad with a new second row pairing of Paul O’Sullivan and Matthew Monte-Colombo.

Paul O’Sullivan had not played for the first team since November 2016 but he played a key part in Biggleswade’s second try.

There was also a Cochrane on the team sheet for the first time in a couple of decades. This one was 17 year old Callum making his debut watched by father Alec ‘Twinkle Toes’ Cochrane on the touch-line. Alec first played for the 1st XV in the 1980s.

Forest took the lead with a penalty for offside but Biggleswade quickly went ahead. A kick into the corner saw the visitors mess up their line out. Biggleswade spun the ball down the three-quarter line from the resulting scrum with full-back Shane Austin motoring over the line near the corner post.

Several players excelled with ball in hand. Winger Elliott Tunstall had a strong run which threatened more. Flanker Michael Kendall had a jinking run through the packed Forest defence showing sleight of hand a sprightly side-step. His father Richard who also played number eight would have taken a more direct line.

The game often saw the smaller more agile Biggleswade defence working hard to stop the larger, bulkier Forest attackers from breaking through the Biggleswade line. The only breach that they made was from a catch and drive at a five metre lineout which saw the Forest pack trundle over the line.​

But Biggleswade were back on level terms before the interval with a try from prop Sacha Heath. From a line out in the Forest’s ‘22’ the throw in was quickly tapped down by Paul O’Sullivan back to hooker Shane Manning. He passed inside to Sacha Heath who crossed the line for his second try of the season.

Biggleswade were rewarded with a penalty at the beginning of the second half as they re-started like an express train. Luke Haverly did the business and added another a few minutes from the end to wrap up the win.

The result sees Biggleswade move up a place in the table. They now have a week off from league rugby before travelling to Long Buckbywhich kicks off at the later time of 3pm on March 4.