MK 1st XV were at home for their first league match against Marlborough, who are pretty much an unknown quantity in this league as they were new into it this season, although we were aware that they lost last weekend.

Despite the rain early in the day, it held off for the whole of the match, but the wind was pretty strong which played a big part in the game for the kickers. MK were to receive the kick in the first half and were playing up the slope, the 1sts preferred starting end, and following a pretty fierce first eight minutes with the pack dominating the line, the scrum and the ruck and maul it was following a pretty intense start that saw Neil Haynes go over for a try, this was converted by Phil Powel with the home team then leading 7 - nil. With MK camped out in Marlborough’s half the pressure was too much to bear and at the 12 minute point following an intense attack, saw Dan Edwards go in close to the wing which went unconverted.
With MK still camped in the Marlborough half the pressure was too much again and only 8 minutes after the try saw Phil Powell converting a penalty for Marlborough handing in the ruck at the 20 minute point.

Unfortunately with such fierce attacking play and not much let up in either defence or attack, Myles Donnelly took a serious injury to his Knee which eventually would require a hospital visit later in the day, so after only 23 minutes he was replaced by Dan Rolfe. It was around this time that MK received yet another penalty for Marlborough’s scrappy play in the ruck which was successfully converted by Phil Powell taking the score to 18 - nil. Following the kick off and a subsequent set piece scrum and some seriously good backs running moves, once again the pressure and experience of MK was too much for the young Marlborough side, saw Wayne Kelly cross the line in the corner after 32 minutes which was not converted. There followed some scrappy play by MK in defence and after an alleged high tackle Marlborough were awarded a penalty, but with the wind so strong this only managed to hit the post, which was fielded by MK and saw it taken back up the field in a great move. This was followed by a great deal of back and forth play across most of the field and with some big kicks into space by Marlborough with most being caught and run up the field and some solid attacking play by MK and some spirited defence by Marlborough there was to be no further scores and MK went into the club house leading 23 – nil at half time.

MK came out of the club house for the second half knowing what they needed to do to get a bonus point and they didn’t disappoint, and it saw a massive attacking play with the ball passing through at least seven players hands before ending with Dan Rolfe and a very spirited effort going over just to the left of the posts, this one being converted by Phil Powell taking the score to 30 points to nil.

It was pretty much MK in attack for most of the 2nd half with the strength and experience of the team proving too much for Marlborough and it was only five minutes later that saw Wayne Kelly go in for his second try, which was unconverted the score now at 35 - nil. MK’s dominant forwards once again proving too much for Marlborough saw them capitalise on winning the lineout against the head and with some fast ball from Rob Lasbrey from the base of the ruck and a fast open running play by the backs saw Dan Rolfe scoring his second try in the far left hand corner, an effective and dominant attack only bettered by the forwards efforts in the lineout, although this was also not converted it did take the score to 40 points to nil.

It was all proving too much for Marlborough and after some poor attacking play, none of which came to much, it was to be only 4 minutes later that saw Andrew Poole, crossing the gain line (as always) and beating off the Marlborough defence with some pretty hefty hand offs and slipping 3 tackles to finally cross the line for his first try of the match, this also remained unconverted but took the score to 45 – nil.

With the pack so dominant for the vast majority of the game, it was not to unsurprising then that after 10 minutes of fierce attacking play and an 8 phase attack by the forwards pushing Ashley Hill over the line for our final try of the game, this once again showing Ashley Hill’s dominance in the pack and once again seeing him score, which means that he has scored in every league match so far this season, let’s hope that he can keep it up! This meant that when the whistle went for full time, the final score was Milton Keynes 50 – Marlborough 0.

Although the final score does not do Marlborough justice, and we would like to thank them for a hard fought and spirited match and one that meant MK had to work really hard for every point and, leaving them much work to do this week in training if they are to beat Beaconsfield next weekend.