RUGBY: Leighton downed by Derby
Visitors prove too strong
Leighton Buzzard 1sts 0
Derby 27
Derby were the visitors for the latest rescheduled match in Midlands 1 for Leighton Buzzard's first team.
When the game was originally scheduled there was more snow at Wrights Meadow than Vancouver and ski cross might have been more apt than rugby.
This time it was rain that caused all the problems and a mighty storm broke out just as the teams ran out.
The large Derby pack were determined to take an early control of the game but the spirited young Leighton team were not going to roll over for anyone.
Some ferocious tackling and some great breaks for the backs kept the game even.
The conditions meant there was a lot of errors, from both sides with balls spilled forward and players slipping in the ever deteriorating conditions.
Derby scored on 17 minutes when the ball came flying out of a ruck on the Leighton line with the help of a Derby hand. Everyone but the referee saw the hand and stopped playing only for the Derby 13 to dive on the ball. The try was given but the kick in front of the posts was missed. 0-5.
Ten minutes later another bizarre score for Derby when the ball came back from a Leighton ruck on the home side 22m line only to find the Derby hooker loitering five metres offside.
He picked up the ball and flopped over the line. The try was given to make it 10-0 at half time, with Leighton feeling aggrieved to be behind at all.
The rain died down in the second half but the damage was done and the ground was never going to improve.
Leighton kept on fighting and Chris Warner was replaced by young Sam Pacey in the front row and James Ward made an appearance as a blood replacement for captain Geoff Branwhite, who took a bkow to the head just after the kick off when he was caught at the bottom of a ruck.
Hamper had a couple of good runs on the wing but the strong Derby defence kept Leighton away from the try line.
Derby scored twice more with rumbling forwards play which was difficult to defend in the slippery conditions and with players slipping round the side of the rucks and mauls.
In the final minute Leighton tried to run the ball out of their own 22 only to be caught and the Derby centre Ben Marlow went in for the final score.
This result keeps Derby in the hunt for a playoff position.
Next week Leighton meet second bottom of the table Matlock in Derbyshire.
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Weather for Leighton Buzzard
Thursday 24 May 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 12 C to 24 C
Wind Speed: 13 mph
Wind direction: North east
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 11 C to 24 C
Wind Speed: 21 mph
Wind direction: East
