Bracknell 29 Windsor 14

On a dry sunny, increasingly cold breezy day Windsor kicked off playing towards the clubhouse. The kick was taken by Johnson initially, the ball was again kicked by Burch, Windsor returned the kick and after a couple of phases play was stopped for an injury. Play resumed with a scrum for Windsor, a ruck, then a knock on, scrum on halfway which Windsor turned over after a ruck, they kicked on and the resulting breakaway enabled a converted score just left of the posts. Score 0-7

Bracknell hit back within 5 minutes, the restart had the ball to the 22, a sequence of rucks and mauls eventually ended with a penalty which was kicked to touch. The lineout was good and with good hands from Bradley Walters, who had a good game especially his lineout throws, after a couple of phases had the ball down the attacking line ended with Jasper Miranda going over to score, 5-7, the conversion missed.

Windsor restart with play much the same as before, with Windsor on halfway 3 phases and a knock on gave Bracknell a scrum, then a penalty which was kicked to touch, the resulting maul on the 22 ended with a lineout ended with a lineout to Windsor, but a clearance kick enabled another Bracknell attack, a few phases, a high tackle and a penalty, Bracknell won the maul from the resulting lineout, 5 phases later, the ball was passed out right for Alex Frame to score, unconverted 10-7.

The final score of the half was the best try of the match. A kick by Windsor was well taken by Simon Bayliss in his own 22, with some spectators commenting about not taking a mark, evading tackle fully made 30 metres or more making a hole in Windsor’s defence which released the backs for Ian Burch to score easily under the posts, the conversion being successful Bracknell went in 17-7 to the good at halftime.
The second half started with the clock on 15:13 with dark clouds gathering and a cold wind strengthening. The bonus point try came 10 minutes later, Windsor had a penalty for holding on, the kick to halfway was gathered by Bayliss and after another fine run resulted in a converted score in front of the clubhouse. 24-7

The next ten minutes involved much midfield play, knock-ons, scrums, penalties and lineouts to both sides. The breakthrough came with 30 minutes of the half played, Bracknell were playing advantage, unfortunately a knock on when there was an overlap meant play had to go back for a penalty which was kicked to the 5-metre line, line out was good but a maul ended with a scrum to Windsor, Bracknell pushed them back, but Windsor recovered, the clearance kick did not go far and again Bayliss made good metres but was tackled into touch at the 5-metre line. A Windsor kick to touch and from the following lineout Windsor knocked on, the resulting scrum was won by Bracknell and a pass out to Ben Bathurst from Ken Hodgson who scored in the corner, the conversion was missed so Bracknell’s last score of the match left the score at 29-7.
Windsor enjoyed some possession in the final minutes of the match and after the restart from the last score a lineout on our 22, the Windsor backs passed down the line to score under the posts with the conversion good, the score line was 29-14.

Final score Bracknell 29 Windsor 14