Milton Keynes make heavy work against the Drifters

MK were at home for the first time in four fixtures this time to the Drifters, who travelled to MK on the back of a 40 – 0 defeat to league leaders Grove.

The conditions were near perfect for a fast running game and both teams didn’t disappoint, although it took 30 minutes of play before the first score of the match this following a disorganised period of play with too much kicking and not enough structure, although following a steady flow of up field play it was MK in the ascendency and a super-fast run by Dan Pearson scoring in the left corner to put MK 5 points in the lead, this went unconverted by Phil Powell too far out and into the wind.

The points were showing on the club’s brand new score board donated by Chris Bowley.

With MK still playing up hill and showing the better team against the Drifters despite not sticking to the game plan it was six minutes later that Dan Pearson scored MKs second try almost in the same spot as the first one and also to far out for Phil Powell to convert.

Drifters were not to be outdone and despite MKs dominance on the scoreboard the Drifters were competing fiercely for the ball and there forwards winning not only their own ball in the scrum but a few against the head in the rucks and mauls, not great weight advantage but their determination winning over as they were being very disruptive also with a young team, clearly fit, and not willing to let go, they kept MK on the half way for the rest of the first half with the score at half time 10 – 0 to MK.

The half time talk was about dominance in the forwards, playing up the centre and feeding the backs, who despite some nifty moves, never really coming to much.

The first 20 minutes after kick off, MK were back in form and returned to the field demonstrating why they had previously gone 13 matches undefeated, with the forwards now dominating the scrum and rucks with Richard Hill coming onto the pitch after half time the Drifters not knowing what hit them, although they competed well, it was 15 minutes into the game with a dominant display by the forwards following a scrum and then some excellent rucking that saw the ball fly from Rob Lasbrey’s hands out to Phil Powell and with a slick inside pass to Andrew Poole who with some devastating hand offs saw him cross the line for MKs third try, this one converted by Phil Powell taking the score to 17 – 0.

With MK back in the driving seat and back to winning ways, it was another 15 minutes before Richard Hill and the forwards once again dominated the scrum and the ensuing ruck and with the ball fed out by Rob Lasbrey who really was dominating around the base of the scrum once again passing sharply to Phil Powell who’s inside pass this time was to Gavin Whitehead who with strength and agility crossed the line near the posts with giving MK their bonus point try and with Phil Powell converting the try, taking MK into unreachable 24 points to nil.

Although Drifters were to go on and spoil the 24 – 0 score proving why they are in a much deserved 6th in the league with a well worked sequence of play up the field and a break away run one of their centres to score under the posts, which was naturally converted by their full back, to finish the game 24 – 7.

Not a tidy game, and certainly not one played to MKs strengths and not following the game plan for 60 minutes of the game was MKs undoing and, made very hard work of what should have been an easier game.

MK are at home to Thatcham next Saturday a postponed game from the snow received earlier in the January and they really need to pull their socks up if they are to defeat them.