Stewarts & Lloyds 15 Biggleswade 12
Biggleswade were behind at the final whistle but they were not second best going down 12-15 to the league champions Stewarts & Lloyds.
The game was played with a strong wind all afternoon which spoilt the game as a spectacle. In front of a huge crowd which included many Biggleswade supporters who had made the 90-mile round trip in the hope of seeing an upset.
Biggleswade threatened an early score as they worked their way into the bottom left corner with wind assistance. There were several strong runs but the S & L defence which is the best in the league just held out. They offended repeatedly in the “red zone” but escaped a sanction.
It was hard work getting the ball up the other end against the wind. S & L managed it but the Biggy defence held firm scrambling away out of defence.
Sam Woods restored at fly-half after a long lay off due to injury showed how much his big boot had been missed. He put in some great kicks which just bounced before skidding into touch.
From this strong attacking position Biggleswade turned up the heat with that old war-horse Dom Nott being in possession as the pack drove over the line. Sam Woods added the conversion.
The home crowd were stunned. This was not in the script. Stewarts had said on their web-site that this match was to be a triumph end to an unbeaten season and here they were losing.
But urged on by their faithful fans they were back on level terms before the break with a converted try of their own. By then Biggleswade were down to 13 men with Dom Nott (dissent) and giant James Emerson (high tackle) both in the bin.
Biggleswade thought that they were back in front but the touch judge spotted a boot cutting the line. Instead, it was Stewarts who took the lead after being awarded a penalty to clear their line.
However, Biggleswade were not done showing great grit and dogged determination to get back up the slope, against the wind and into another attacking position.
The pack caught and drove over the line with Kyle Loane getting the touchdown. With the match all-square and the clock ticking down there was time for S & L to threaten and be rewarded with a penalty in front of the posts which was converted.
In the dying seconds it looked like Biggleswade had snatched victory from the jaws of defeat as a flying winger out-paced everyone for a try under the posts. But it was not to be with a foot in touch again.
In the post-match huddle the coaching team expressed their admiration for a team that had come so far and done so much. Captain Jake Deveraux summed up the mood. “I love playing in this atmosphere with a large home crowd baying for our blood. I want to rain on their parade and make grown men weep!”
Biggleswade finish second in the league and will be playing Counties 1 next season. They will be playing old friends like Stockwood, Spalding and Vipers. And new ones like Bourne and Old Larentonians.
This Saturday they play Stewarts & Lloyds again but this time in the Cup.
