​Opening day loss for Buzzards

At half-time, with the scores level and having played uphill, Buzzards were optimistic of an opening-day victory.

Ultimately, Leighton could not recover from conceding three tries in seven minutes early in the second half, leaving Buzzards without even a bonus point for their efforts.

The match could hardly have started better for Leighton – early pressure and good handling gave Felix Fiske the opportunity to score the first try in the corner. Only 60 seconds had elapsed. The difficult conversion was missed leaving Buzzards 5-0 ahead.

It took the visitors 11 minutes to level the score at 5-5 - a missed tackle in midfield allowing the Aylesbury full-back to break the line and spread the ball wide for a try in the corner.

After only 16 minutes Buzzards suffered a considerable setback as scrum-half James Brett had to leave the field with what appeared to be a significant knee injury.

But it was Leighton who took the lead ten minutes later – following a catch and drive from a lineout, Mike Robert touched down unconverted in the corner.

With ten minutes of the first half remaining, Aylesbury once again drew level with a try in the corner, leaving the half-time scores level at 10-10.

Buzzards started the second half well but it was Aylesbury who eventually took control. A delicate chip put the winger in almost unopposed after nine minutes, and shortly afterwards their scrum-half scored twice, the second a fine individual try. With two of these tries converted, Buzzards trailed 10-29.

Midway through the half Eddie Wiggins scored Buzzards’ third try and Jack Cullen’s conversion made the score 17-29, but the visitors scored a late unconverted try to leave the final score 17-34.

This weekend, Buzzards travel to Amersham and Chiltern.