Lutterworth 11 - 25 Wellingborough

Wellingborough had a point to prove on Saturday as they travelled to
Lutterworth to re-play the fixture from earlier in the season at the
request of the league committee as the previous game finished in
uncontested scrummages.

Facing a very strong wind in the first half, the visitors expected to be
under the cosh and it was Lutterworth who opened the scoring on the ten
minute mark with a penalty. Boro, putting themselves under pressure with
a verbal indiscretion at the breakdown gifted the home side three
points.

Good work from the pack combining with centre Craig Hughes kept the ball
tight and worked their way into the home sides' 22. Keeping the pressure
on Boro were awarded with a penalty when the home side transgressed
across the off side line a little too often and a steady boot from stand
off Peter Vickers, kicking into the wind, slotted home to level the
scores.

With the home side creating little, Boro then put themselves under
pressure with a number of unforced errors from the re-start. Lutterworth
seized upon the advantage and drove over from a line-out to take the
lead again which they increased further with a penalty minutes later
when Boro once again, gave away a needless penalty in front of the
posts.

With Boro comfortably winning all their ball and challenging well in the
scrummage and line-out, the score line at this stage didn't reflect the
amount of possession the visitors were enjoying however, with Steven
Gall missing the final ten minutes of the half courtesy of a yellow
card, it looked as though Boro would have to settle for 11-3 at the
break.

Possession finally told however, and with five minutes of the half
remaining, good ball from the set piece set the back division off and
from a full thirty yards, winger Dom Smart rounded his opposite man and
then the full back to touch down in the corner. Vickers' stood little
chance with the conversion but having reduced the deficit to a slender
three points at the interval, Boro were confident that with the breeze
at their back in the second half, they could put the contest to bed.

Five minutes into the second half, Boro's pressure on the home side told
and a penalty at the break down in front of the sticks saw the scores
levelled.

There then followed a twenty minute period where both sides played some
good rugby with possession changing hands frequently and in credit to
Lutterworth, their pack battled bravely against the wind to keep the
ball and worked many passages of play up the centre of the field. The
deadlock was finally broken with twenty minutes left on the clock when
Smart again, stretched his legs from twenty yards following a neat move
with replacement full back Karl McAndrew hitting the line and putting in
Smart under the posts; Vickers slotted the extra points.

With Boro's travelling support now in full voice, Vickers broke from
half-way to clear all but the Lutterworth full back, Vicker's then drew
the full back and passed to Smart to complete his hat-trick and seal the
win for Boro. Vickers' stepped up to add the conversion.

Reflecting upon a job well done Nick Murphy was outstanding for Boro in
the line-out and John Cartwright once again had a good game in the back
row. Centre Craig Hughes however, took the man of the match award for
his superb defence and efforts in attack.

Boro Club Captain Dudley Cross commented "we saw little value in
travelling here to replay this fixture and hopefully, this result will
silence all those who questioned the previous result and subsequently,
the integrity of the club. The attitude, conduct and demeanour of the
side today was fantastic and I hope that we take this forward into our
final five fixtures"

Croyland Car Megastore Man of the Match: Craig Hughes