MK 1XV Unbeaten League Run Comes To An End At Swindon

Milton Keynes travelled to Swindon on Saturday in a confident mood after winning their first 3 league matches and sitting top of the table. With the kick off delayed due to a road accident delaying the arrival of Kieran McConnell and Mark Austin, Swindon allowed Milton Keynes an extra 10 minutes for preparation. The first points of the match came from the Swindon number 12 bursting through the middle and under the posts from 7 meters out. This seemed to spur the Milton Keynes side on and they upped their physicality and dominance from then on. With the loss of Number 8 Stuart Tomkinson to a red card for a kick to an opposition forward Milton Keynes got their driving maul working and with a number of attempts for a push over try the ref finally awarded a penalty, which Phil Powell slotted with ease.

Milton Keynes finally got the try they deserved after a lot of pressure, indiscipline cost Swindon as their number 8 also saw red for kicking Richard Hill in the head, from the resulting penalty Steve Christie scored from a snipping run off a driving maul. Powell with the conversion missed from the touch line. City continued to press and working the big Swindon pack from side to side, gaps started to appear out wide, with Andy Champ taking his man on the outside to score in the right hand corner, Powell’s conversion attempt was spot on this time and Milton Keynes took a half time lead of 15-7.

City started the second half as they finished the first, full of confidence and hunting for a bonus point. Their hard work then paid off as Powell continued to boss the match and causing trouble with ball in hand, danced through the Swindon defence to score himself, but the conversion missed. 7-22 to City.

City then started to force the match looking, for the bonus point but letting their basic skills and decision making slip, allowing the Swindon side back into the game. With Swindon kicking the ball a great deal the City back 3 had to be alert but with a ball bouncing the wrong way the Swindon flanker picked the ball up and dived over for a soft score. With City reeling and the ball constantly being kicked back over their heads from the Swindon 10, indiscipline allowed Swindon to score again underneath the post for a simple kick to bring Swindon within 3 points, 19-22.

Disaster then struck for city as a simple kick should have been fielded but the ball deceived Rob Matthews on the wing and the opposing winger picking the ball up and sprinted under the posts for the last score of the match and handing Swindon a bonus point win.

With Milton Keynes now sit in 3rd position in the league they can`t allow any more slip ups in the race for promotion, starting with Newbury at Field Lane on Saturday. Only a bonus point will do for City as they look for revenge for last season’s home defeat.

Final score – Swindon - 26 Milton Keynes - 22.

Report by Dan Pearson
Milton Keynes 1st XV