Biggleswade 1st XV 19-19 Bedford Swifts 1st XV
Biggleswade’s President’s Day match at home to Bedford Swifts on Saturday proved a tense and entertaining battle.
The breeze caught Biggy’s kick-off, holding up the ball long enough for the pack to put Swifts straight under pressure and win possession. Biggy moved it to the wing from a No 8 pick-up, attacking the opposition’s back line. An offside infringement allowed Elliot Tunstall to step up for a penalty from the 22, but the wind worked against him this time, and the attempt went wide.
The home team kept up the pressure with high attacking intensity and pace, with backs and forwards linking well. A few handling errors allowed Swifts to attack with equal aggression.
Biggy stole Bedford’s line-out ball several times. Moving the ball across the pitch they initially couldn’t break through Swift’s defence, camping near the visitors’ try line, and seeing two tries disallowed (one held up and one for a foot in touch). But they were finally rewarded as Kyle Loan crashed over the line from the back of a catch and drive line-out.
Strong defence from Biggy kept Swifts at bay with some solid tackling from Ollie Vagg at No 10.
Another break from Biggleswade saw Swifts tackle the player high, leaving the referee no choice but to award a penalty try, putting Biggy 12-0 ahead.
Both teams welcomed half time after the battling first half.
Swifts came out fighting, with Biggy struggling to get their hands on the ball and the visitors dominating territory and possession. The home side valiantly held them back for 15 minutes, before they found a gap and crashed over to score.
Again Biggy defended well and absorbed huge opposition pressure but Swifts shipped play wide and accurate handling saw them score just left of the posts, despite crowd protestations of a possible knock-on before grounding. There were flashbacks to the teams’ reverse fixture where Swifts came back from a 12-0 first half to a 12 all draw.
A well-worked pick and go from the base of a scrum saw Swifts use the strength of their No 15 to sprint the length of the field to put Swifts ahead 12-19.
Biggleswade had to use every ounce of teamwork and pride in the shirt to get back on the ball. Rekindling the fire of the first half, they won a scrum 15 metres out, and Matt Horgan drew the blind side winger on the pick-and-go, popping to Matt Morrallee, who dived for the line in the corner.
Under immense pressure, Tunstall took the most challenging conversion kick of the season to draw the match, slotting it through the middle.
With two minutes to play Biggy were awarded a penalty within kicking distance but sadly it was not to be this time as the ball just went side of the posts.
As the clock ran out, neither team wanted to kick into touch to take the draw, but the game ended with the scores locked at 19-19.
Unbeaten Biggleswade are now second in the table but with two games in hand.
Photos by David Kay
