RUGBY: Leighton beat old rivals
Victory at Wellingborough for first team
Wellingborough 12
Leighton Buzzard 26
It was another tight and action-packed day when Leighton's first team made the trip up to Cutthroat Lane to meet old rivals Wellingborough.
The hard overnight frost had left the ground dangerous in places and it was 30 minutes before kick off before it was finally agreed the fixture would at least start.
Leighton took early control attacking from all areas of the pitch and keeping the home side pegged deep in their own half.
It was one of these many attacks that allowed winger Euan Irvin to cross the try line for the first score of the day. With the two centres in the move the ball was spun out to the wing and Irwin slid past the defences to score. The conversion was made by captain Geoff Branwhite.
Leighton controlled the game well with few opportunities for Wellingborough to break out of their own half. However, 25 minutes in veteran Wellingborough fly half Peter Vickers chipped ahead. The bounce beat the Leighton winger and the hack ahead allowed centre Gall to score.
The conversion evened the scores and brought Wellingborough back into the game.
The rest of the half was very evenly matched with both sides attempting to play in very difficult conditions with a cold wind and some very slippery patches on the ground.
A penalty on the stroke of half time allowed Vickers to extend the lead and Wellingborough went in 10-7 ahead.
In the second half Leighton started to gain control of the game with a scintillating run from Gavin Taylor.
Gathering the ball on the halfway line he ran straight at the home defence and managed to shake off some loose tackles. He kept going and looked to pass the ball to supporting players who were arriving from all areas of the park, but instead he kept going to score under the posts. The conversion by Branwhite made the score 14-7.
After 57 minutes a training ground move allowed hooker Andy Jenkins to run in for Leighton's third try of the match.
Wellingborough were down but not out and they attacked hard from the re-start. Leighton then found themselves defending for the next 10 minutes with a penalty the result for Wellingborough.
Young Sam Janes celebrated his 18th birthday with a pick up from a ruck on the Wellingborough 10m line and ran in unopposed to score the last try of the game.
Wellingborough kept on the pressure but the stout defence of the young Leighton team kept them out. A yellow card for Beattie late in the game was the only blemish on this wintry afternoon.
Next week the Leighton squad make a third attempt to travel to Syston in Leicestershire.
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Weather for Leighton Buzzard
Tuesday 07 February 2012
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: -8 C to 1 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: -5 C to 1 C
Wind Speed: 13 mph
Wind direction: North east
