Promotion Secured with a Match to Spare

Promotion Secured with a Match to Spare

Bracknell (27) 53 Sherborne (10) 17

Reporter Gary Miles

Bracknell seemed to be determined to secure promotion at the earliest opportunity, being 6-0 up within four minutes of kick-off with two penalty goals from Laidler. The first coming after the Sherborne kick-off going straight out, the resulting scrum won by the home side, an infringement allowing Bracknell a free ball which was brought back for the penalty kick. The second was much the same as the first, the restart going straight out, a couple of phases after the scrum and another penalty was awarded against the way side.

Sherbourne regrouped after this and after yet another restart went straight into touch and although the resulting scrum was reset, the Sherborne backs secured the ball and two phases later kicked to the home sides 10 meters, an attacking line out was secured and on eight minutes, Sherborne scored, unconverted to take the score to 6-5.

Two minutes later though Bracknell increased their lead, from the restart a number of phases and the backs had the ball and a reverse pass to George Milligan enabled a converted score under the posts. 13-5.

The restart staying in field, Bracknell secured the ball, following a ruck, there was a short stoppage due to an injury to an opposition player. Play was restarted with a scrum, the backs ran the ball to the wing, an infringement had the penalty kicked to touch, the ball secured a trademark rolling maul from the home side had Hodge emerge as the try scorer, conversion good. 20-5.

Sherborne received a yellow card after the official stopped play to talk to both sides, the infringement resulted in a penalty which again was successfully kicked to touch. An attacking kick was gathered by Sherborne but another rolling maul which when slowed the backs had the ball to Alex Frame who scored his first of two tries on the day, converted. Score 27-`10 on twenty-three minutes.

Sherborne had the last score of the half two minutes later, from a lineout their backs got the ball down the line to wing to score in the corner, with the conversion missed, the halftime score was 27-10.

In the second Bracknell kicked off towards the club house and within a minute secured the try bonus point, a Laidler kick to Simon Bayliss, cleared to Sherborne’s defence, cleared to the home side’s 30 metres, a ruck was won, the backs had the ball to the wing and a pass inside, Frame scored his second, the converted try took the score to 34-10.

Following a stoppage for an injury to a Bracknell player, the home side won the resulting scrum and Will Field scored under the posts, conversion good, 41-10 on forty-five minutes.

Another score came after a good break by Bayliss, a penalty awarded against Bracknell for a player off his feet, the clearance did not make touch and was collected by Bayliss, the ball to Scott who made a break, again the away side’s clearance did not make touch, with the ball on our wing, a ruck followed another break Tom Scott scored a converted try to make the score 48-10 on 60 minutes.

Two minutes later Bayliss scored for Bracknell in the corner, with the conversion attempt hitting the post the score was now 53-10.

Like the first half Sherborne made the last score of the half, they had a line out on our 22, a penalty was conceded, their backs securing the ball, they scored a converted try to take the score to 53-17 on seventy-one minutes.

The game won, the last nine minutes were played out without any further scores and Bracknell having secured promotion.