Following the disappointment of last weeks cancellation, Veseyans Colts welcomed Telford in the North Mids Cup, a team who had comprehensively beaten them earlier in the season at the same venue. However, off the back of a couple of recent performances, the home side entered the fray in a buoyant and confident mood. What the team really needed was an energetic start to keep them in the game and that’s exactly what they did for the first 20 minutes. Both sides played good physical rugby applying pressure in both 22’s but to no avail and it wasn’t until the home side failed to press a clearance kick that the visitors got in behind our defence and scored a good unconverted try in the corner and a 0-5 lead. Unlike previously this wasn’t the start of the opposition taking the game away from us but instead, the colts applied pressure of their own resulting in a kickable penalty which unfortunately the impressive Toby Page missed. In addition, the visitors were now conceding more and more penalties and from another one in a similar position, the home side decided to kick for touch. Quality ball off the top and a great line and determination from Jamie Higinbotham found us under the posts a 7-5 up on the scoreboard. With 10 mins left to play of the first half, both teams continued to push and just when the home team thought they were going to turn the corner ahead for the first time this season the visitors broke away to lead 12-7 at the break.
With the wind at their backs and the slope in their favour Veseyans started the second half with an attitude which suggested they weren’t going to let this opportunity get away from them. Some excellent tactical kicking from hand by Toby Page pegged the visitors back deep in their 22 which resulted in Warwick Pallister stealing one of several of their lineouts allowing us to build pressure. This resulted in a penalty in the 5M and Max Powell's quick thinking with a tap and go allowed him to muscle over, 14-12. The visitors couldn’t cope with the tenacity of everyone at the breakdown, the desire to defend and ease with which we generated quick ball. From one such situation, Max spotted an opportunity down the blindside from 35 yards and fought his way all the way to the line, 19-12. With a little over 10 minutes left to play the character of a team which hasn’t been in this position would be severely tested and almost immediately the visitors responded with a flowing move and try. With the kick needed to level up the scores, unfortunately, it was missed and Veseyans headed into the last minutes 19-17 ahead. Despite the visitors continuing to run hard the home side simply refused to lose the game and ran out worthy winners of a really enjoyable game of cup rugby.
The whole team deserved that victory and everyone to a man played there part. The likes of Ollie Smith and James Dovey had their best games of the season, Warwick Pallister made his debut and impressed but the skipper, Max Powell, played a true captains role by stepping up to the front row 30 minutes before KO and had his best game of the season. With Bournville visiting us next week another performance like that will go a long way to recording back to back victories...... Well done everyone!
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