Bracknell in six-try demolition derby

By David Ryan

Bracknell U19s registered six tries in a blistering second-half display that blew local rivals Reading clean out of the water and sent Academy Coach Martin Radford off for a week on a Cornish beach knowing that the tide to this season may finally have turned.
A brace of touchdowns each for blond bombshells James Wright and Oli Nixon, with additional scores from flanker Matt Betts and winger Ainsley Campbell, swept aside an indifferent first-half for Bracknell in which Reading opened the scoring.
In the first 10 minutes, Reading could not have been more firmly penned into their own half if the home pack had strung razor-wire across the halfway line. But the visitors’ first real move created a lightning break between centre and wing for Bradon Jones whose pass found right-wing Chris Graham cruising the touchline with enough in the after-burners to elude Bracknell full-back Nick Cox’s desperate cover tackle.
Bracknell then lost their way for 10 minutes as the bigger but less mobile Reading pack sucked them into a war of attrition. Once Bracknell started moving the ball again they registered enough pressure to force kickable penalties for No 10 Ben Radford. He slotted the first on 26 minutes after Reading strayed offside and added another three points just before half-time after a high tackle on hooker Luke Evans.
Bracknell took just four minutes of the second half to add to their 6-5 lead. Great work from Evans, again, and Cox kept the attack alive and was enhanced by the sharp passing of scrum-half Simon Haddad and the ball carrying of Nixon and skipper Matt Elsbury before Wright went over amid a pile of bodies in the left corner. Cox converted for 13-5.
A demoralised Reading kicked off with 18 minutes still remaining. That would have seemed like an age as the blond 6ft 4in Nixon came galloping back at them, like an ostrich on a moped, to beat four tackles and score under the post. Cox’s kick took the lead to 32-5.
It was the first of four scores in a 15-minute purple patch in which Bracknell did just about everything right.
Nixon charged over off a short penalty on 44 minutes, then the stand-in prop Wright popped up on the right wing to finish a free-flowing move with aplomb, cutting inside two defenders to clear a route to the posts after great work from Steffan Rees - who showed real authority after replacing Radford at No 10 - and the industrious flanker Matt Betts.
Bracknell rung the changes as the second half progressed but the introduction of the ever-threatening back-row Ben Thomas and man-of-the-match Ryan Noakes - first on the wing then at scrum-half - merely cemented the home side’s superiority. That was underlined when Betts crossed on 59 minutes to bring up 37-5.
Reading did regain a foothold as the game entered its final phase but any hope of consolation was dashed on 64 minutes when Bracknell’s substitute winger, Ainsley Campbell, latched on to a loose pass in midfield. Campbell’s a talented 400-metre runner so the 60-metre dash to Reading’s line was a breeze. Cox again converted to bring up 44-5.
“This was a big day for some individuals as we try to formulate our best 22 players for the coming campaign in the OBB Division 2,” said Radford. “Our core skills and decision making let us down in the first half and we lost continuity. After the break, it all just clicked into place. Our ball carriers came to the party and got stuck in and our mental approach was right. I have to be pleased after a display like that against a Division 1 outfit.”
Reading Colts coach Alun Thomas is also concentrating on the league. “It’s all about development for us. We worked really hard in the first half and the try showed the threat of our backs. But it’s a young team and they were drawn into the Bracknell forwards’ game which stopped us moving the ball. Some injuries to key players didn’t help, but Bracknell were very strong and have a great chance of taking the Division 2 title this season.”

SCORERS: Graham (try) 0-5, 10min; Radford (pen) 3-5, 26min; Radford (pen) 6-5, 35min; Wright (try) 11-5, 39min; Cox (con) 13-5 40min; Nixon (try) 18-5, 44min; Cox (con) 20-5, 45min; Wright (try) 25-5, 50min; Nixon (try) 30-5, 52min; Cox (con) 32-5, 53min; Betts (try) 37-5, 59min; Campbell (try) 42-5, 64min; Cox (con) 44-5, 65min