Buzzards unlucky in defeat as Newbold make extra man pay

However, Buzzards can realistically feel that the final score does not reflect the competitiveness of their performance.

Indeed with 30 minutes left, the score was tied at 17-17 - however, an injury to winger Tom Attwell meant that Buzzards had to play the rest of the game with 14 men. Newbold took full advantage of this numerical superiority, scoring four tries in the last 25 minutes.

Leighton kicked off and began well but it was the hosts who took the lead after 20 minutes, scoring in the corner with the difficult conversion missed.

This setback seemed to galvanise the Buzzard team and Euan Irwin soon went over in the corner, leaving the score level at 5-5. But Newbold would score a converted try soon afterwards and then went further ahead early in the second-half with another try, this time unconverted, for a 17-5 lead.

Buzzards fought back with a period of sustained pressure and once again it was the veteran Irwin who breached the defence to score and four minutes later, Tom Winch showed real pace to score in the corner, bringing the scores level.

Shortly afterwards, Buzzards thought they had taken the lead after a fine break by Ollie Taylor but the try scoring pass was adjudged forward. Twice more, later in the half, they crossed the line but both Eddie Wiggins and Winch were adjudged to have knocked on.

However, as the half progressed and Attwell retired injured, the hosts went on to ease to victory.

This Saturday, Buzzards host Northampton Old Scouts.