Trowbridge win tense battle against Leighton Buzzard

This was the second time Leighton Buzzard have visited Doric Park after honours were even between the clubs last season. Conditions were difficult for open rugby with heavy rain falling prior to kick off. Trowbridge made several changes from the side that lost at Salisbury last week with regulars Lloyd Davis, Matt Howard and George Fowles returning and Sean Jones, Dan Smith and Dan McClurg appearing for the first time for several matches. This continued their qinability to have a settled team because of injuries and unavailabilities. Lee Fairclough, Matt Johnson and Shane Johnstone were unavailable and Dave Finlay, Matt Mayne and Matt Williams had injuries.

Playing with the elements in the first half, they began confidently with their forwards gaining the upper hand especially in the scrum. The first three scrums resulting in the visitors being forced up, a scrum collapse and possession being gained after the Buzzard pack won the ball going backwards. Davis missed his first penalty opportunity but was successful with a second attempt after 12 minutes. Trowbridge continued to exert pressure and forced a five metre scrum. Their forwards forced their way forward and Dave Martin, who had switched from hooker to flanker gained the touch down for a try to increase the lead to 8 points. Davis converted. Trowbridge looked comfortable at this stage but the visitors came back into the game in the second quarter. The Doric Park side's defence was breached before the break when, after Fowles made a try saving tackle after coming across from the left wing, Buzzard flanker Wills Messum opened the visitors scoring with a try, converted by fly half Dan David. This score put a different perspective on the game, because Trowbridge would have the defend a 3 point lead against the elements in the second half.

Trowbridge reverted to running the ball more often and keeping the ball in the forwards, while the visitors were likely to use the wind to make progress by kicking to the corners, but this did not happen. Buzzard's backs, especially their centres looked dangerous but Trowbridge defence was quick to the breakdowns and largely denied the Bedfordshire opportunities. They did have two kickable penalty opportunities but Dan David hit the post with the first and his kick fell shot with the second. Trowbridge lost Joe Knight to the sin bin for obstruction which meant that No 8 Dan Smith moved out to the centre and the defence was secure, but near the end of the period when Trowbridge were a man short, Leighton Buzzard flanker Tom Byard received a similar penalty for infringing within 10 yards after Trowbridge were awarded a penalty by Melksham official Mike Hurn, refereeing his first match at this level. Trowbridge were well served by Sean Jones who was made man of the match and Scrum half George Leat who ran him very close for the award. Leat made one excellent break before kicking to the left wing but it found touch in the Buzzard 22. A period of Trowbridge pressure followed but the visitor's line could not be breached. During the remainder of the match the visitors did not threaten the Trowbridge line apart from one occasion when the referee called play back for an infringement. The score remained scoreless in the second half.

Trowbridge's league position did not change as a result of this match but other results meant that there is a 10 point gap between them and the top relegation spot and they are well in touch with several sides above them. The surprise result was Maidenhead's first defeat at the hand of 11th placed Oxford Harlequins, while Witney, Trowbridge's opponents next week at their Hailey Road ground, won 13-10 at Swindon, who have lost 4 matches since their unbeaten run of 4 wins on the first 4 weekends.