Dunstablians RUFC

The overnight and morning weather at Bidwell looked pretty rubbish for the Griffins to host Beds Swifts, but by kick-off the skies had cleared leaving the Wood Pigeon to shake off the raindrops and bask in the glorious conditions across the brook. Swifts arrived with some size and physicality evident in their squad during warmups, but the Griffins looked more than a match for them, mixing plenty of experience and youth across coach Ash J-W's squad. The team sheet was starting to look very settled despite a couple of late withdrawals.

Swifts, with the wind behind them and looking to register in the Win column for the first time this season, looked to run the ball straight from receiving the kick-off but MacEwen put an early marker down on halfway with the first tackle of what would be another strong performance, moving from last week's 10 into Fullback. The first 10mins was pretty even between the 22's. Swifts were focussing on Forward carries, but Dees were holding a strong line. Boston, Mineikis, Corr (more about his performance later) and Musial with some big hits. In response Dees were mixing it up with plays both tight and wide, one break down the right by MacEwen and Mansfield was held on the Swifts 22m. Shortly after Swifts attempted to carry out of defence but the ruck was turned over inside their own 22 by Boston, Mineikis & stalwart Station. A couple of phases later left a 5-on-3 overlap on the left with Fletcher putting MacEwen over in the corner for his Maiden Senior try. The kick from wide out fell just short and wide of the far post. 5-0 Dees. Swifts restart was kicked straight through the in-goal area, immediately putting Dees on the front foot with a scrum on halfway. Two phases later Stone picked from a ruck on halfway, reversed the play and broke down the right. Although the short pass to Chamberlain took out the Swifts Wing, leaving him with a 5-on-1, his dummy failed to fool the fullback 5m out. But luckily his pop from the ground found Stone supporting to go over in the right corner. Kick into the wind fell short. 15mins gone, 10-0. Swifts picked up their game with a number of phases, punching up the middle against some dogged tackling until Dees were penalised for a high tackle on their own 5m. The tap-and-go saw Swifts crash over to get on the scoreboard. Converted from close in. 10-7.

Great pressure immediately from the kick-off by Fletcher and Corr forced a fumble on the Swifts 22. From the scrum great hands from Musial and Fletcher broke the Swifts line for Wing Wilkins dart over just right of the posts. Successful kick from Chamberlain. 17-7. Play settled for a while, Swifts carrying hard but kicking good possession away, Dees giving as good as they were getting, all the Forwards holding strong. A Swifts injury held the game up for a short period before the blue & yellow Lazarus rose and returned to the fray. From the resulting play some great interchange and running lines almost led to a Dees break but Wilkins couldn't quite hold the inside pass from Chamberlain. A few minutes of sustained Dee’s pressure on the left led to a couple of lineout opportunities before two high Swifts tackles on MacEwen and Wilkins saw the second offender binned for the remainder of the half. A messy Dees lineout led to a bit of chat between the sides and a scrum to Swifts on their own 5m. A break by the Swifts Centre gained 50m before a great chase by Boston and Corr brought him down. Dees soon turned a ruck over and a break by MacEwen, Corr and Wilkins won a Penalty in the left corner after Swifts desperation led to them holding on in the ruck. The ref indicated the resulting scrum was the last play of the half and Stone sniped from the base and touched down for his second. Conversion missed. 22-7 at halftime.

Great pressure immediately from the kick-off by Fletcher and Corr forced a fumble on the Swifts 22. From the scrum great hands from Musial and Fletcher broke the Swifts line for Wing Wilkins dart over just right of the posts. Successful kick from Chamberlain. 17-7. Play settled for a while, Swifts carrying hard but kicking good possession away, Dees giving as good as they were getting, all the Forwards holding strong. A Swifts injury held the game up for a short period before the blue & yellow Lazarus rose and returned to the fray. From the resulting play some great interchange and running lines almost led to a Dees break but Wilkins couldn't quite hold the inside pass from Chamberlain. A few minutes of sustained Dee’s pressure on the left led to a couple of lineout opportunities before two high Swifts tackles on MacEwen and Wilkins saw the second offender binned for the remainder of the half. A messy Dees lineout led to a bit of chat between the sides and a scrum to Swifts on their own 5m. A break by the Swifts Centre gained 50m before a great chase by Boston and Corr brought him down. Dees soon turned a ruck over and a break by MacEwen, Corr and Wilkins won a Penalty in the left corner after Swifts desperation led to them holding on in the ruck. The ref indicated the resulting scrum was the last play of the half and Stone sniped from the base and touched down for his second. Conversion missed. 22-7 at halftime.

With the points advantage Coach Ash made a few changes, Hamill on at Scrum Half, Stone to Fullback and MacEwen taking a breather after a fine first half. Jones also on at 10, with Mansfield making way and everyone in the back line shuffling out one place. Stout and Watson on in the pack for Hake & Bryant with a bit of a reshuffle for good measure. Swifts started the second half strongly, but resolute defending on their own line and defensive pressure prevented Swifts from taking advantage. Swifts continued to keep it with the big boys but couldn't get out of their half. One kick into the left of the Dees 22 was fielded by Stone, who carried to halfway before a chip-and-chase, followed by a fly-hack, almost led to a try until he was beaten to the touch by a superb chase back by the Swifts Centre. That proved to be Stone's last action as he was called off to step in as a replacement for the 1s who had suffered a squad injury in the warmup of the impending adjacent match. Smith on in his place. 8mins into the second half, from a Dees scrum on their own 10m, the ball was shifted for Fullback Fletcher to break the line on halfway. His pass wide left to Wilkins was looped at pace back inside for Hamill to dot down his own Maiden Try under the posts. Converted by Chamberlain. 29-7. Swifts took this as a bit of a kick in the backside and then spent the next 10mins camped in the Dees half. Again, solid defence prevailed and lines were cleared. Penalties were building and Mineikis was invited for a chat by the ref. The lack of tea & biscuits indicated this was not a positive chat. Another Swifts tap-and-go on the Dees 22 almost saw them over the line but it was recycled and Swifts crossed for their second. Converted. 29-14.

For the next few minutes the tables turned and it was Dees back on the front foot as Swifts began to tire. Mansfield and Smith both making good breaks and a great carry by Corr again before a pass inside from Chamberlain to Wilkins saw the blind wing shrug off two soft tackles and step the fullback to score his second under the posts. Converted by Chamberlain. 36-14. Shortly after, Jones steps in as scrum half at a ruck on Swifts 10m and puts No.8 Fantini-Simpson through a gap an wins the race to finish under the posts. Converted with a drop from behind by Chamberlain. 43-14. Two minutes later Jones again puts a forward into a gap on the 22, this time Corr racing through and beating two men for a very well deserved score and the third Maiden Try of the day. Chamberlain converts for the milestone score. 50-14. As time runs out Swifts find a second wind and spend a little time in the Dees half, but a promising chance is turned over with Fletcher and Smith breaking again on halfway, only for Smith to be scragged into touch by his shirt. Right at the death, from the resulting lineout a fortunate bounce sees Swifts break and score despite a great chase and tap tackle by Fletcher and Hamill. Kick missed. At full time, 50-19. So, an impressive win for Griffins against a dogged Swifts side, with the young lads in the side showing the future is bright a Dunstablians RUFC, who move to second in the East Midlands 2 Table. The Griffins now enjoy a week off before returning with a top-of-the-table clash against Sharnbrook & Colworth at Bidwell on 2nd Nov. Report by Mike Morland