Market Bosworth 12 - 20 Loughborough PDF Print E-mail
Market Bosworth were disappointed to lose out in an exciting County Cup quarter final tie against Loughborough. Bosworth started the match well and were unlucky when the referee called play back to give Bosworth a penalty when the backs looked as though the had created a try scoring opportunity for winger Matt Stocks. Loughborough then settled into the game and began to play with increasing confidence. A period of attacking Loughborough pressure eventually resulted in a try when they ran the ball back from a 22 metre drop out to score a converted try. Loughborough continued to pile on the pressure and ill discipline in the Bosworth ranks gifted the away team another 3 points with a penalty for dissent. The teams turned around at half time with the score 0-10 to Loughborough. Bosworth regrouped at half time and came back strongly as their forwards began to assert themselves with the second row combination of Tom Holmes and Sam Allison working well in the scrum. After a series of attacking rucks the ball was spread wide for winger Ryan Locke to take advantage of an overlap and score in the corner, a fantastic conversion from full back Matt Bratton closed the score to 7 - 10. Bosworth continued to press for a second try, whilst Loughborough always looked dangerous on the break. The home team were unlucky to concede a try when they looked to have a Loughborough attack covered only to be undone by a big forward pass, another conversion took the score to 7-17. Bosworth continued to establish an advantage in their forwards with prop Neale Farthing leading the way with a number of strong drives, and it looked as though they had scored under the posts when prop Mitchell Ackroyd was adjudged to be held up over the line. Bosworth spread the ball wide from the subsequent scrum for centre Will Smith to score a well taken try in the corner to close the score to 12-17. As the match went into the last ten minutes Loughborough had a player yellow carded for repeated dissent, however Bosworth's discipline crucially let them down as the penalty was reversed for comments from a Bosworth player and Loughborough took advantage to stretch their lead to 8 points. Bosworth continued to pile on the pressure and in the final play of the game winger Matt Stocks went over to score what looked like a clear try but the referee decided that the match was over.It was a great game which could have gone either way and Bosworth were left to ruefully reflect on a match that saw them cross the try line 4 times and still not manage to win!