First home win of decade for 1XV

Camborne were the visitors to Lily Hill for Bracknell’s first home game of the decade. With the Barnstaple game being postponed before Christmas it was Bracknell’s first home game since their win over Newbury on 7th December. Since then Bracknell had suffered two away defeats, the losing margin in both games just one point!

Prior to kick off the visitors sat in sixth place in SW Premier. A good home record, only two loses at home against Barnstaple and Exmouth including a 30-26 win over Bracknell earlier in the season and away wins at Brixham and Exeter University saw Camborne on a healthy thirty-nine league points from fifteen games.

Bracknell made two changes to the team that started against Brixham last Saturday, Elliott Bellman and Vic Hardwicke swapping the replacements bench for the starting line.

On a sunny afternoon, Camborne kicked off the game playing towards the clubhouse. The 200-mile trip seemed not to have affected them as they started the livelier of the two teams. Their better start was rewarded with a try from tight head prop Jon Drew after just five minutes. Dicky Mankee added the extras.

Bracknell opened their account for the match with a Vic Hardwicke penalty after thirteen minutes. Four minutes later a neat break down the wing by Lewis Franklin found George Owen for him to accelerate over the Camborne white wash for Bracknell’s first try of the game. Vic Hardwicke was wide with the extra’s but Bracknell had the lead.

On the half an hour mark, George Owen was in the action again, his break down the centre of the field and offload to Dan Mays saw him score under the Camborne posts. Vic Hardwick was on target with the conversion.

A Dicky Mankee penalty closed the gap after just before the half time break after Bracknell were caught offside at a ruck.

Half time: Bracknell 15 Camborne 10

Now attacking towards the clubhouse Bracknell dominated the opening phases of the second half. After number of phases attacking the Camborne try line Jonny Mizra was held up over the Camborne try line. Bracknell continued to be camped on Camborne's try line and were finally rewarded with a Vic Hardwicke penalty.

Bracknell’s third try of the afternoon was a bizarre score. With less than ten minutes remaining, a cross field kick from George Owen found its way to Gabe Hills. A wicked bounce meant he was able to re-gain his own hack down the field and brush off the covering Camborne defence to score, after it looked like the opportunity had passed. This time the conversion was wide of the Camborne upright.

With Bracknell now moving the ball with confidence they were able to find a gap in the Camborne defence to score their bonus point try. Vic Hardwicke’s conversion was the final play of the game.

Full time: Bracknell 30 Camborne 10 (Points: Bracknell 5 Camborne 0)

Bracknell remain at the foot of SW Premier but the gap to as high as eight spot is narrowed to just five points with Bracknell still having ten games of the season left to play.

Well done to the 4XV who recorded a good win at High Wycombe yesterday in their BBO3 fixture.

Bracknell now have a week off before travelling to the Forest of Dean to face Drybrook on Saturday 1st February, which is the start of a busy month for Bracknell. The next home game is Saturday 8th February when Exeter University are the visitors. The same day its England vs Scotland in the Six Nations (KO 4.45pm), which will be shown on the clubhouse screens after the 1XV game so it promises to be a big rugby day at the club.

Bracknell: 1. Elliott Bellman 2. Michael Clarke (C) 3. Jonny Mirza 4. Rhys Verley 5. Jamie Johnson 6. Alex Stanley 7. Tom Mew 8. Kieran Forbes 9. Lewis Franklin 10. Vic Hardwicke 11. Ian Burch 12. Dan Mays 13. Owen Smith 14. George Owen 15. Gabe Hills Replacements: Tom Scott, Chris Laidler.