Starting line-up

1 Sam Vail 2 Ren Pesci 3 Richard Cowley

4 Matt Price 5 Bob Copping

6 Chris (Glove) Milne 7 Brian Smith 8 Dan

9 Rolando Pesci 10 Daray Horn 15 John Bateson

11 Alexis Moreau 12 Graham (Capt) Beckford 13 Lloyd Smart 14 Eddie (BillBob) Murphy

Manager: Chris Beddow

Match report by Various

The Renegades warmed up for this tight fixture. After the earlier match of the season it was noted that St Neots do not run a 2nd 15, therefore Renegades were to play their 2nds. Then it was discovered that their 1st 15 did not have a game so more than a few 1st team ringers were playing for St Neots.

The kickoff by St Neots did not go the required 10 meters, so followed the first scrum of the match - in fact the first scrum of the year for some of Renegades pack. This was subsequently lost against a very much bigger pack. Following lightening work by the Renegades back row the Glove took off on one of his runs, picking their largest player to run at. Recycling the ball St Neots were caught offside at an open field kick resulting in a penalty for the Renegades. The touch kick was good, but the line out was not. Again the back row, along with Rolando, turned the ball over to Renegades advantage. Lloyd made a pressing run through several of their players. There followed a series of free kicks ending with a penalty to Renegades inside St Neots 22. Rolando took a quick one and the referee did not see the kick and awarded a scrum to St Neots.

Play then stopped for Beaky to strap a dislocated finger.

Following the restart St Neots were awarded a line out, the Glove took it on himself to devastate their jumpers, the following penalty took the game back to half way.

Continual Renegades pressure took play to deep inside the St Neots 22, here the Renegades line out was seen to be lacking, losing two in a row. There followed a scrum which the Renegades contested forcing St Neots to kick to touch. The Renegades won the subsequent line out

Here their No 12 (a ringer) started to make tracks through the field of players, until he met Dan. He did not like what happened as the whole of the Renegades took Dan's example and tackled their hearts out.

Rolando did his normal thing, pissing off their scrum half and No 10, resulting in a break through by Ren, Dan and the Glove. A fly hack through resulted in St Neots touching down behind their own line, then taking the 22 drop out.

Alex, being the French Man, took one of the ringers out and damaged his shoulder. Replaced by Chris.

Back into Renegades half, one of the rare visits into the 22 requiring JB to kick a couple of times to clear the lines. One kick from outside the 22 gave a line out back from the kick, the other being a near perfect text book clearance.

Sam took an injury to his shoulder.

In summary the first half was continuous pressure by the Renegades with 90% of the time spent in St Neots half, but unable to get over the line.

The Second Half.

Replacement: Harry on for Richard.

Renegades carried on from their first half performance. A quick ball out of a ruck left Daray nothing to do but to drop a goal. Renegades 3 St Neots 0.

One of the few times St Neots managed to get into Renegades 22 for a line out on the 5m line. Renegades line out was just not working today, but Brian timed his run to perfection and stole the ball back.

Replacement: Jack on for BillBob.

In open play one of their players was injured, looked like a collar bone. He went off to A&E.

After a ruck Beaky and Lloyd made a fantastic break out with Lloyd kicking through ending in a 5m scrum to Renegades. Unfortunately St Neots overturned this. There then followed a run by Dan and Rolando, the scrum was again lost by Renegades and followed by another scrum in St Neots favour. St Neots won the ball very untidily and Brian stole the ball for the first try of the match. Conversion was missed. Renegades 8 St Neots 0.

Brian was replaced by BillBob.

Play went back towards the Renegades half, and a punt to JB resulted in a mark being called and kicked.

BillBob was replaced by Brian.

A great breakout by Beaky and the glove left BillBob a simple ball to catch and score, but he fly hacked and for his efforts won the Doughnut of the match award. The glove should have been quicker and not have put so much pressure on BillBob. Glove was almost awarded another doughnut for eating too much Christmas pudding and not running like the young person he is.

A line out on St Neots 5m line had the handbags flying and the toys being thrown, not surprisingly because of one of the Pesci boys upsetting the opposition as usual.

The Glove had run himself into the ground and picked up what was looking like a concussion, his knees did the "Bambi" thing, so Bev came on to replace him.

Daray broke out from the Renegades half only being stopped deep inside St Neots 22, a 5m scrum to St Neots due to a knock on. They won the scrum and cleared back to Half way.

The one phase of good play by St Neots gave them a try. Renegades 8 St Neots 5.

Play just inside the Renegades half when St Neots were awarded a penalty. One of their 1st team players kicked the penalty. Renegades 8 St Neots 8.

Again the Renegades played for the next 10 minutes inside St Neots 22 when a rare breakout ended up with a penalty just inside the Renegades half. Again their 1st team player kicked the penalty. Renegades 8 St Neots 11.

Following the restart St Neots attacked and were turned over when Renegades passed the ball out to Bev on the wing who ran round their speed players to score, only to have it disallowed, the ref thinking it had been held up over the line. How he could see from 40 meters away is still out for debate, however the St Neots supporters shouted and the decision was made. Good attitude by Bev, surprising attitude by Bev, his blaspheming was under his breath, and the ref did not hear.

The Renegades drove again and again until Ren managed to get over the line for a try. No conversion. Renegades 13 St Neots 11.

Rolando kept on doing his thing, upsetting the opposition. The play was backwards and forwards in the middle of the field. Lloyd attempted to steal the Doughnut award by calling for a mark outside the 22.

At the end of a tight match St Neots were awarded a penalty just inside Renegades half. Again their 1st team player kicked the penalty. Renegades 13 St Neots 14.

Renegades felt they would have won had St Neots not fielded a 2nd team with a lot of 1st team players. It would have been good to see what would have happened against St Neots 3rd team.

Quotes!

"Unlucky guys, but congrats for putting your bodies on the line. It was a good display against a ringer team and we more than matched them I felt throughout.......Moral victory????
If only we had someone on our wing who could ground the ball once over the line and kick a conversion from the touchline using a bottle top!!!!" Rob Bevington

"A few special congratulations from Saturday, in the pack Ren and Brian had superb games and in the backs Lloyd had a great game. Also thanks to Harry, Dan, Chris and Jack who played for us without them we would have not had enough players.
Another special mention to Bev who came onto the pitch to mark his 25th game, well done mate.
Everyone played well and the game has cost us two more players with long term injuries so do your best to be available and lets make sure we win the local derby on Saturday." Graham Beckford

Try

Brian Smith 1
Ren Pesci 1

Penalty

Conversion

Drop Goal

Daray Horn 1

Nominations

Player of the Match: Brian Smith. Doughnut of the match: Eddy (BillBob) Murphy.