Kempston Rugby Club kept up their fine start to the Merit League season, making the short journey to Milton Keynes 2nd XV and coming away as victors.
Kempston felt this was going to be a testing match from the off, and they weren’t wrong.
However, learning from the previous two games and some realistic Thursday evening training sessions, Kempston were quick to switch on, withstanding some determined Milton Keynes attacking efforts, until the pressure became too much and the home side took first honours with a try out wide.
It was soon the backs’ time to shine, and after some more heroic defence almost on K’s try line, young Ollie Metcalf crossed the whitewash, ably converted by John Higginson.
What followed was a long period of back and forth between the sides, both as keen as each other to either gain or retain the upper hand, which again resulted in MK scoring, but again the full seven points were out of reach, which left the score at 10-7 at the end of the first half.
After the obligatory team talk along with recognition of the K’s steadfast defence and reminders of opportunities missed, the visitors returned to the pitch determined to weather the storm.
One of Kempston’s many debutants, Chris Mayhew, thought he had the next score locked up and key thrown away only to fumble the ball, and knock it on, but made amends soon after, squaring the ball away.
The conversion sadly slipped away from Higginson’s grasp, but the try still catapulted Ks into a narrow 12-10 lead.
Again, Kempston managed to staunchly defend against some spirited MK attacking play, with every man standing up to be counted, and once again the K’s turned defence into attack and sent a barnstorming Ewan Casey through a gap for another try, this time converted by Ewan himself.
At 19-10 to Kempston, the story wasn’t over yet, and MK pressed, looking for a route back in front. Kempston obliged, allowing MK to score another unconverted try, pegging K’s lead back to just four points, with ten minutes to go in the encounter.
Nails on the touchline were being gnawed at desperately by the K’s travelling support, but they had no need to worry as an error right in front of their own posts gifted our indomitable captain John Higginson an easy penalty, bringing the final score to 22-15 to Kempston.
The win means three wins from three so far in the season after what was certainly their most physical encounter to date, but Kempston now have a free weekend to rest and recuperate, before facing Northampton Heathens at home on Hallowe’en weekend.
Words by Simon Forbes
