Skegness 1st XV 29-0 Boston Development XV

     Skegness played in a local derby against Boston. These games are always filled with passion and this was a bruising encounter.
Skegness fielded a different team from past weeks. They used some of the young guns from the second team to give them first team experience. Their tackling was fearless which impressed the more mature first team members. Skegness still had to borrow a Boston substitute as they only had fourteen men. Captain Machin asked for a good running game and his team obliged.
Pollock scored first to give the Skegness team the lead. Horner’s break from the ruck made inroads into the Boston defence. Pollock’s change of angle and speed found Divilly in support. The scrum half popped up the ball as he was hit and Pollock scored a well deserved try. Smith could not convert and the score remained at 5-0.
Forwards and backs played in unison as the Skegness team, playing into the wind mounted attack after attack. The front row of T. Hill, Cummings and Horner were strong and solid in the scrum. Cummings almost added to the first half total but unfortunately dove at the five metre line and not the try line.
Any kicks down field were returned with interest from the full back Nightingale. His runs turned defence into attack which gave Boston nowhere to kick. Cook’s and Holliday’s supporting runs also gave an option which Nightingale used when the defence was absent.
With the majority of attack coming from the Skegness team they made simple errors at the crucial moment which Boston capitalise on by running the ball back at the seasiders. The defence remained solid and Skegness had a first half lead of 5-0.
The elements were now in Skegness’s favour. They soon began to take hold of the game and score the tries they were capable of. Smith was first over the line for the first of his two. Pressure in the centres made Boston fumble the ball. Smith pounced and hacked the ball down field. His pace was too great and he scored and converted his own try to make the score 12-0.
Divilly scored next from a pre-planned move with the number eight Jackson. From a stable base at the back of the scrum Jackson ran blind, drew the winger and passed to the scrum half. Divilly ran unopposed to score I the score to increase their lead to 17-0.
The two Hills combined to set up the next try. Spiers and Jenkins rucked over and created good ruck ball. Pollock scored his second of the game with a straight hard run through the Boston Defence. This finished a move that started in the Skegness half. Smith converted and Boston found themselves 24 points down.
Smith finished the scoring by scoring his second try. The pack won the ball from Boston at the scrum. Jackson picked up and ran straight at the opposition defensive line. Machin and Divilly were in support and Jackson found the scrum half. His show and go pulled out the defence and gave the ball to the speedy centre smith who out gassed to covering defenders. This was the final score of the game and Skegness ran out 29-0 winners.
Next week Skegness travel to Southwell for the final game of the season in a double away fixture. The kicking competition will be on the 30th of April and the AGM will be on the 7th of May. The final get together of the season will be the dinner dance on the 10th of May.

Skegness 1st XV
Cummings, T.Hill, Horner, A.Hill, Spiers, Machin, Jenkins, Jackson,
Divilly, Pollock, Holliday, Smith, A. Cook, A. Nother, Nightingale.