Burley 1st 5
Yarnbury Hornets 22


Yarnbury Hornets were forced into making late changes, with Ian Spink making his debut in the back row & Al Bowden coming in at Hooker. Andy Cowley took the reins as skipper.

Electing to play up the slope, the early minutes were spent mainly in midfield as both sides probed for a weakness. Yarnburys lineout was struggling to function but slowly makeshift jumpers Graham Riley and Ashley Parker began to settle into the role.

Burley's larger pack were trying to drive through the visiting 8 but as all have found this season this is no easy task.

Sustained pressure on the Hornets line midway through the first period saw a first up tackle missed in midfield allowing the Burley Centre to score midway out. The conversion was missed but the improving understanding throughout the team gave real confidence as the Hornets continued with their free flowing game.

It was from one of these moves from just inside their own half that Yarnbury drew level. Excellent work by forwards and backs alike saw Joe Churnin draw the full back before slipping the ball to Al Bowden who romped over from 7 metres to score by the side of the posts. The conversion was missed but Yarnbury were back on level terms.
With 5 mins of the half remaining Yarnbury lost Ian Spink, who was having a promising debut, to an ankle injury, allowing Danny Pryce to make his debut.

With no further scores but a couple of close calls on the Yarnbury line, the Hornets turned feeling confident of a win.

A third debutant in Tim Bennett came on into the Centre for Yarnbury. The opening minutes of the Second Half saw Burley look to raise the intensity but found in Yarnbury a Steely dertermination. On the odd occasion that Burley reached the Hornets 22 some astute kicking from, Davies, Lawson & Churnin pegged Burley back.

It took until the 16th minute of the second half before quick ball from the forwards on the right, was spun down the line giving winger Ben Mortimer a 15metre sprint to the corner. 10-5. It was all Yarnbury now and an excellent passage of picking and driving by the pack took play to within burleys 22 , were Centre Rob Pound found the strength to withstand 2 would be tacklers and touch down near the posts. Joe Churnin converted to make the score 17 – 5.

Yarnburys free flowing style was now cutting Burley open. An excellent 30 metre break by Tim Bennett, lacked the final touch and a similar break by veteran Prop, Ian Shannon, was stopped short of the line.
The final move of the game was a fitting end as once again forwards and backs created the space for John Bramham to hug the touchline and race over in the corner from the 22.

In the circumstances, this was as good a result as any the Hornets have achieved this season.

With Graham Riley and Rob Bristow giving a great lead up front, Andy Cowley at Scrum Half orchestrating events and the backs as a whole looking lively throughout.