Leighton Buzzard RFC made their first journey to the birthplace of Rugby for the latest Midlands 1 East match. The history of Rugby Lions, now playing in Midlands 1 east is a mixed one with previous highs now a distant memory and the team now just above the relegation zone but still two places above the Buzzards.
The match was a game of errors and mistakes on both sides and the number of scrums must have been approaching a new world record as slips and knock on’s abound from both sides. The Leighton scrum held their own against a very big home pack. However ten minutes in the game the ball squirted out of a ruck in the Leighton 22 and allowed the home side to cross the line for the first score. 5-0.
The game then settled down with the only interesting piece when Leighton were forced to replace prop Forsyth due to illness. The game was mostly played between the 22m lines with neither side looking likely to break the opposition defence. It took a full 30 minutes before the next score when again the men in white crossed the line to make it 10-0. However Leighton were not out of the game. Five minutes later a great try, straight off the training ground resulted in full Back Harri Sayer scoring under the posts. Conversion by Brett made it 10-7 at half time.
Second half
The second half started as the first half with a score from the home side to extend their lead to 15-7. Leighton were reduced to 14 men when a scrap started with a Leighton player held on the ground. The referee adjudged Leighton at fault and handed out a yellow card to Forsythe who had just returned to the fray. Rugby then used their extra man advantage to score another unconverted try to earn the bonus point.
Lions now had control of the game and scored in the last minute to make the final score 25-7. This was another game Leighton can feel they let get away from them. Hard work is needed for the visit of Towcestrians next week for the final home game of 2018.