Opposition Run Out Of Front Row Again !

For the second time this season Broadstreet have had their match go to uncontested scrums.With barely 4 minutes of the second half gone Newport ran out of front row players to contest in the scrums and at that point the game became a no contest with the score at 20-0. Streets pack were well on top throughout this game and putting the Newport scrum under considerable pressure. Street came out of the starting blocks and made good inroads early on and were awarded a penalty on 3 minutes which Dan Richards accepted. The game continued at pace with both teams making some handling errors which seemed to go unnoticed by the referee. both teams were in an attacking mood with street having the better of it.  An extremely clever piece of play by winger Jordan Simpson on 17 minutes saw him win the race for the touchdown after chipping the ball ahead to score wide out on the left.The try went unconverted as Richards kick just shaved the post. Street continued to dominate but for some excellent defence from Newport would have been further behind following good breaks from Mcgrory,Greevy and Mukarati. On 30 minutes came the best try of the game when after some good passages of play Lindsey Bishop scored his first league try of the season after superbly catching an excellent cross field kick by Richards and beating the covering defender to score out wide on the right.Again Richards was just shy of the posts. Street were straight back on the attack and outstanding back row Nigel Mukarati crashed over under the posts on 34 minutes.Richards duly added the the conversion. half Time 20-0

The beginning of the second half was very much a stop start affair with the Newport physio working overtime to keep the front row on the pitch,but to no avail.After only 4 minutes the last front row left the pitch for the game to go to uncontested scrums. At this point Broaqdstreet seemed to switch off and let their opponents back into the game and but for some handling errors on the street line could have easily scored a couple of tries. With the game petering out Nigel Mukarati scored his second try of the game wide out on the left.At this point the referee issued his 3 rd yellow card to the visitors for persistent offences in the red zone. with just one minute remaining man of the match Mark Challis scored a well deserved try under the posts after some excellent handling by the forwards especially Greevy who delivered the final pass.Richards added the conversion.

Street will now await the decision to be rubber stamped from the RFU that the game will be awarded at the time of the game when the scrum became uncontested which was 20-0.

Out of sorts Street can’t blame anyone but themselves for this lackluster display despite good conditions in which to play rugby.
With prop Rich Siviter missing with a back injury sustained in training earlier in the week ‘Street were forced to reorganize the front row. Street started well and the first 20 minutes looked like the team that has done so well in the EDF Trophy run. Moments into the match Street penalised for offside within a kickable distance and were let off with a miscued kick by the Peterborough flyhalf, Ben Chan. Street’s pack were able to win ball against the head against a ‘Borough pack that outweighed them in every position. Street launched a number of attacks from good possession and stopped 5 m short of the goal line. Minutes later a shortside break by scrum half Nick Thatcher allowed Danny Richards to score a well‐taken try under the posts, which he converted. On the quarter hour ‘Street in possession in the ‘Borough 22 with a two man overlap No.8 Ady Hall inexplicably took contact instead of moving the ball wide for what would have been an easy try. Street continued pressuring Borough in their 22 when their openside flanker was adjudged to be slowing the ball in a ruck and was penalized and given a yellow card for his trouble. Street were up against it the lineouts a combination of inaccurate throwing from hooker Carl Southwell and against ‘Borough’s former Northampton lock Jon Phillips they had scant possession from that phase of the game. Peterborough capitalized on this and through good lineout ball scored an unconverted try out wide from their winger, Alex Ciuchlejus. Buoyed by the try Peterborough continued to press and almost scored another but for a superb last ditch tackle by Thatcher. As Peterborough gained in confidence so Street didn’t seem like the same team that played for the first 20 minutes. Poor ball skills at the back of the scrum from Hall led to a crunching tackle on him resulting in a rib injury, finishing his game and replaced by Mark Challis. Soon after No.6 Nigel Mukerati was yellow carded for hands in the ruck in the red zone. Peterborough took advantage of this and scored a further unconverted try in the corner.

Half Time Peterborough RFC 10 – 10 Broadstreet RFC

The second half started as the first ended with Street conceding two early penalties which Borough were unable to convert. A few minutes later Street were awarded a penalty, which Richards converted. Centre Alex Crofts took a hit from a Borough player, in which his knee was injured, finishing his game too. Apart from the scrummaging, Street’s game plan never seemed to get off the ground and things went from bad to worse allowing Borough too much control. Having said that another indiscretion by Borough delivered Street a further 3 points off the boot of Richards, this gave Street a 6‐point margin, which they were desperate to hang on to. However, a well‐worked converted try from Borough took them into the lead for the first time, with their heads up the pressure was on. All hopes of recovering were dashed 3 minutes from time when a try, from a pick up by a Borough back row, Pete Kolakowski, who blatantly knocked the ball on, but the referee, apparently unsighted, awarded the try which was duly converted.

Full Time
Peterborough RFC 24 – 16 Broadstreet RFC