A cracking game of rugby was witnessed at Acklam Park on Saturday. Boro’s first home game of the new season against Driffield. The home team kick off, down the slope and immediately Driffield are on the attack. Phase after phase probing to the left and the right looking to penetrate the Boro defensive line, the ball goes wide and the break is on, back inside and the first score 0-7.
Straight from the kick off Boro gain a penalty which Brendan Hill slots over 3-7, but the joy was short lived when Driffield win the ball and move up the hill and score their second 3-14. Showing real intent Boro fought right back and with forwards and backs combining to feed the ball wide to Aedan Moloney, who holds off a would be tackler, to score out wide 8-14. Then a great beak from Hill on the half hour mark sees him brush off defenders and eventually get tackled 20 metres out. He passes the ball to the marauding forwards and in support, Myles Colvin gets to crash over under the sticks with an easy conversion for Hill to add the extras 15-14.
Driffield, like Boro, had no intention o of letting up. They hit back with a try after a good break and run from their winger 15-19. Boro went at it again. The home forwards were well up for battle and the Lang brothers combined to create a gap for the human battering ram; Colvin bursts through the defence setting up Hill who scores out wide.
HT Boro 20 Driffield 19.
The first half was a cracking half of rugby. The second half was hammer and tongs from both sides: attack; defend; attack; defend. First Boro. Then Driffield. This went on for a good 30 minutes without the scoreboard changing. Hopes were high for a Boro victory?. However, Boro were issued 2 yellow cards in quick succession, leaving them with 13 players for 10 minutes. This tipped the balance and despite valiant defence from Boro, Driffield take the lead kicking a penalty 20-22. The defensive effort from the Boro side was brave, but eventually sheer weight of numbers sees the away side score 2 late tries. One converted making the final score Middlesbrough 20 Driffield 34.
Next week Boro are off to Halifax to see our old friends Heath
Middlesbrough second team travelled away to Sunderland on Saturday . The result was a resounding victory for the Wasps, winning 0 – 71. However, the report came back that the game was competitive, and Sunderland played their part in making a good game of rugby.
The game started well for Boro with Henry scoring quite early in the game. Sam PG kicked the conversion and Boro were 0 -7 up. This led to a confident display from the team, who went on to score 26 unanswered points by half time. The try scorers were Quinny, Reece and a 2nd for Henry. Sam PG had a good game with the boot, kicking 3 out of 4 conversions this half. Half Time: Sunderland 0 – Boro Wasps 26.
There was a lot of good Sunderland rugby in the 1st half, with Boro defending hard in this good, fast game of rugby. The second half was competitive throughout, despite Boro scoring 45 more points. Try scorers were Rio, Billy, Patrick, Reece, Lawsie, Sam PG and the final try was Lawsie’s 2nd. Sam PG kicked 5 from 7 conversions this half, and the final score of Sunderland 0, Boro 2s 71 did not reflect the endeavour and spirit of the Sunderland men.
Next week, no Boro Wasps game. The 1sts play Heath away, and the 3rds take on Wensleydale away.
The game started at a good pace, with both sides working hard to move the ball and attack. DMP opened the scoring after only 2 minutes with a well taken try by one of their Fijian fliers. Boro got on the attack with a lineout in a good attacking position, but DMP won possession and attacked from deep, with great Fijian pace, and claimed another score 0-14. The fast Fiji men proved difficult to contain. However, Boro got into the opposition redzone again and worked the ball well for ‘Shawsie’ to crash over to score a good try. Jacob Horton added the conversion. 7-14.
From a scrum on half way, one of the Fijian fliers broke clear for a try from 50m out. 7-19.
Boro came straight back and enter the 22, but the attack is thwarted by a high tackle. The referee sent the DMP player to the sin bin and Boro used the one man advantage to attack. They camped in the DMP 22 for a good few phases. Eventually they crossed the whitewash via Liam Baxter only to be denied by the referee for a double movement. DMP cleared their lines well. Boro returned to the DMP 22, and the 10, Jacob Horton, skilfully kicks through for Liam Baxter. Liam is just beaten to the ball by good DMP defence. Boro gained confidence from these attacks and great play sees skipper, Liam Baxter, crash over under the posts to make the score 14-19 on the half hour.
The 10 minutes on the yellow card ended and DMP were revitalised and broke to score a great 7 pointer. Thanks again to one of their flying Fiji men. 14-26. Boro played some great rugby whch saw them attack from deep and get into the DMP 22. After winning a few penalties and further ground with a lineout 15 metres out. Alas they couldn’t convert the pressure and one of the away team’s Fijian fliers scored a superb solo try from 70 metres out. HT 14-31.
The second started with Boro attacking, but the DMP defence was equal to it. A yellow card was issued to the DMP number 8. As in the first half Boro tried to capitalise. However, on 45 minutes, a dropped pass was picked up by a Fijian flyer who ran 65 metres. A pop pass inside to a supporting player completed a good try. 14 – 38. Immedietley from the kick-off, things got worse for Boro. The restart was caught by DMP’s flying Fijian, Aminiasi Delana, who side stepped and jinked to score a superb solo try from 60 metres out. 14-43.
Boro tried a new tactic. They changed direction of the restart and at the subsequent ruck resulted in a 3rd yellow card. The DMP second row was sin binned for slapping one of the Boro players in the ruck. However, DMP were now fully on top and DMP’s number 8 then made a good break through Boro’s back line to score. The conversion brought up the 50 points. 14-50. Boro attacked well but a loose pass was collected by a Fijian flying machine and the speedster ran in from 70m. 14-57.
Things got worse for Boro when skipper, Liam Baxter, was yellow carded for a high tackle and after successive phases DMP round off their scoring with a good team try 14-62. However, undeterred Boro attacked for points and pride. Fantastic rugby with good inter passing between forwards and backs culminated with Chris “Split” Palmer scoring out wide. 19-62. Brilliant play and Boro moved the ball up the field with a lovely pass putting DJ through to round off the scoring. 24-62.
Man of the match for Boro went to our hard working, hard tackling prop, DJ.
Man of the match for DMP was, of course one of the ‘Fijian fliers’ Aminiasi Delana.
