Spartans Stags 39 Veseyans 2s 38

This local derby encounter had something for everyone – with the final result going right down to the wire.

Veseyans made the short journey to Coppice Lane boasting a team containing 12 Aston University students, brimming with youth and petulant enthusiasm. In complete contrast, Spartans 4th team fielded a squad with 90% of their players into their 40s and 50s – and a classic encounter of playing “styles” would ensue.

Spartans game plan was to punch holes in the Veseyans defensive line with bulldozing runs from key ball carriers Baines, Heggerty, Thompson and Worthington, and they were complimented by quality front 8 tight play from Keeling, Bradshaw, Phillips and the effervescent livewire Mott. Playing against the slope in the first half, the Stags did well to press for forward dominated tries, but following every score, the visitors would cut loose through their backs and utilise serious pace at outside centre and right wing.

With Spartans having a large part of the play in the first half, and succeeding with their “up the jumper” tactics, they took a one score lead in to half time at 17-12.

The next phase of play would be critical, and ever dependable half backs Franks and Stewart, together with captain Norton at inside centre, marshalled their largely makeshift backline to positive moves in attack, and scramble defence as they worked hard to contain the electric pace of the Veseyans’ three quarter line. Playing out of position, Hancock and flanker Stone on the wings, and Lawson at outside centre worked tirelessly all afternoon, and Bloomer and the ever impressive Else contributed strongly in both attack and defence.

The second period started in the same vein as the first half with both sides trading scores, and Bailye-Hawkins, Clark and Campbell were thrown in to the mix for Spartans as they tried to maintain their lead as Veseyans’ superior youth and fitness began to dominate the match. Special mention should be made of Phil Ballard who waited for his introduction to the game – but remained unused for the full 80 minutes.

As the game entered it’s final quarter, a beleaguered Spartans defence was at the mercy of the Veseyans backline as they exploited their weary opponents to score a sequence of long range tries to take a 38-27 lead.

In a final throw of the dice, Thompson, Stone and Phillips were brought back on to the field to try to rebuild some momentum – but surely time was against the Stags, as the referee called 11 minutes to play.

A break from Hancock, and a late cover tackle by the Veseyans defence, lead to a set piece from which Spartans breached the visitors’ line. But Spartans were still 6 points in arrears.

A sequence of late infringements by Veseyans in midfield, coupled with extra yardage being added to the penalties, allowed Stewart to set up an offensive line out on the Veseyans’ 5 metre line as the referee called “final play”. From the ensuing catch and drive, Spartans structured a well rehearsed assault on the visitors’ line with strong resistance rebuffing the pressure.

Something had to give, and as a Veseyans’ defender needlessly stepped offside to play the ball – the referee correctly judged that it was a penalty try infringement, and Stewart added the conversion for a 1 point victory to the Stags.