Milton Keynes on top form against Grove

Milton Keynes 1st XV (The City) where hosts to Grove on Saturday at the Valley, in what was forecasted to be a lively and contentious game after City’s defeat away to Grove earlier in the season where the game was ruined by very poor refereeing.

The game started with a lively move by Grove and what was an excellent tackle by Phil Powell and quite a serious injury to the Grove outside centre resulted. The player couldn’t be moved and an ambulance was called and the players sent back to the changing rooms while the pitch paraphernalia was moved onto the 2’s Pitch so that the game could be restarted.

Following the second kick off of the day it wasn’t long before the City forwards showed their dominance as they worked their way up the pitch in what was a quintessential display of scrumming followed by a fast backs move culminating in a break away move by Rob Lasbrey seeing him score the first try of the day after only six minutes, which was easily converted by Phil Powell.

What followed was ten minutes of play with no let up from Grove, with some excellent contested scrums and rucks and the Grove number 8 proving his metal in some excellent runs and tackles, but fortunately for City their tackling was the best of the season by the backs and no quarter was given, and after a really good win by the pack, and a lively move of the ball through the hands of the backs put Rob Matthews over on the wing, but this a little too far into the wind for Phil Powell and went unconverted.

Grove once again showing their speed and physicality it wasn’t long before they were threatening City’s try line and following some handling in the scrum they were awarded a penalty which was converted by the Grove Full back who we knew before the game, could pretty much clear the posts from anywhere in our half.

But not to be defeated City were soon back in the Grove red zone and the pack showing their dominance in the ruck, and some excellent moves by them pushing Grove back and back again for Rob Lasbrey to release the ball quickly to the backs allowing Scott Aspinall to cross the line close to the posts which was easily converted by Phil Powell.

The next 10 minutes saw much play by both sides with Grove proving why they were only just behind City in the league with an excellent display of running rugby, but after a text book tackle by Daniel Rolfe, there was a bit of an affray when he was kicked in the head by the Grove player clearly not happy with being tackled, and Daniel Rolfe’s reaction misinterpreted by the Referee resulted in Daniel Rolfe taking a 10 minute rest with a season first for him, receiving a Yellow card. The resulting move following the penalty saw an excellent backs move by Grove putting them over in the left hand corner for their first try of the game, but a little too far and tight an angle for the Grove full back so this was unconverted.

With the clock running down to half time, Daniel Rolfe came back onto the pitch only for the whistle to go before anything else exiting happen, which saw City leading at half time 19 – 8.

The City coach Sam Viggers’ half time talk was about the dominance of the pack in their scrumming and rucking and, that following that display there should be no let up as with only an 11 point lead it was well within Grove’s ability and track record to come back at the City, so the words were, keep it up, let there be no break in the excellent efforts and dominance so far and, the backs to keep up the great work with clean hands and excellent passing and tackling.

The second half started at the same intensity and pace that the first half finished, so after the kick off and yet an excellent ruck led by Kieran McConnell and Stuart Tomkinson driving Grove off the ball, it allowed Rob Lasbrey to release the ball quickly to the backs and with quick hands out to Daniel Rolfe saw him cross the line in the corner for his first try of the game presenting Phil Powell with an easy conversion, so the second half starting much as the first half did with a dominant City team.

Grove were not completely out of the game and, for 13 minutes they were actively threatening City 22 and try line, it was some excellent tackling by Ian Talbot and Kieran McConnell with some fiercely contended rucks and mauls with City still dominant even in defence and not allowing Grove to cross the try line.

It was following a long kick from deep by Phil Powell and a chase up the pitch by the backs a really intense and physical run by Myles Donnelly with some excellent hand offs and a few brilliant sidesteps backing himself with what was a brilliant effort with him crossing the try line again for the City which was easily converted by Phil Powell.

Following the kick off after the try and conversion a great catch by Captain Richard Hill followed by a an excellent maul with the whole pack dominant and playing out of their socks and with the ball being released quickly by scrum half Rob Lasbrey and fast hands by the backs once again, saw centre Scott Aspinal cross the try line in the corner for his second try, only marred by his Chris Ashton try-alike dive, the kick and the wind proved too much for Phil Powell so the try was unconverted. There followed some intense rugby by both sides, with Grove justifying there position in the league with some excellent runs, tackling and attacking play, but they were unable to capitalise on this play despite their best efforts for over 14 minutes, but following an excellent scrum, and Grove winning the ball, and fast and furious play by them and a great run up the wing saw the Grove Number 8 crossing the City try line to score in the right hand corner, a great play and a well worked and deserved try, although the distance and kicking into the wind proved too much for the excellent grove place kicker and was unconverted.

The last ten minutes of the game saw a very dominant City Team running in a further two tries with both being converted by Phil Powell with Daniel Rolfe scoring his second try of the game and Darren Brodrick his first of the match with an excellent display of physical attacking rugby, with the full support of the pack, Grove were to score once more again with some excellent and fast attacking runs by their backs, but this too was to be unconverted. The last minutes of the game, saw what was a great whole team text book play in winning a ruck, fast hands and some and a brilliant darting, side stepping run by Scott Aspinall aided and abetted by the pack, putting him over the line by the right hand post, for the referee to indicated this was held up only for him to not only award a try but to change this into a penalty try under the posts, but this went unconverted as Phil Powell didn’t take the kick but someone who shall remain nameless botched this in front of the posts, let us hope that we don’t need those point later on in the season.

This game proved City’s dominance in the pack with the Grove players and supporters acknowledging that they had nothing in their arsenal to defend this, the pack was on form, the backs were the strongest they have been all season with the back three, covering the whole pitch with an excellent display of attacking and fast running play, the ball handling was superb and all in all an excellent display of running attacking rugby, text book stuff and despite the referees insistence that there were only eight tries scored and us able to show him the errors of his ways, at least off the pitch, the final score was the City 57 – Grove 18.

The next game sees the City play Windsor away on the 24th March 2012 in what will be a clincher for a promotion playoff position, but if the City can maintain this form, this intensity, this dominance then they have the best chance ever for Milton Keynes Rugby Club to achieve promotion. Come on the City!