2018/01/14 Colts v Bournemouth
Bournemouth Colts 26 - 34 Salisbury Colts
Salisbury Colts played Bournemouth Colts at Chapel Gate on an overcast but dry Sunday afternoon. Bournemouth kicked off but you could tell in the first few minutes of the game that both sides were rusty. Neither side could maintain possession and create any sustained pressure. After the initial frantic start the game settled down and the phases of play began to be strung together.
Although Bournemouth has some early pressure it was well defended by Salisbury with a solid defensive line. Salisbury also started to use possession smartly with combined interplay between forwards and back allowing them to move up field. Bournemouth could not get their hand on the ball to relieve the pressure and swift passing along the line allowed Salisbury to score first. This pattern of play was repeated with the Bournemouth attack being well defended and Salisbury moving the ball smartly to create space to attack. This enabled Salisbury to score three more tries and with half time approaching looked comfortable at 0 - 24.
With 5 minutes to go until half time Bournemouth were attacking the Salisbury line. From a ruck 5m out a Salisbury defender attacked the scrum half too early. The referee deemed this to be a deliberate infringement and showed the player a yellow card. Salisbury, now down to 14 players, could not defend the resultant penalty and Bournemouth scored a converted try. Bournemouth were now on the ascendancy and started to use their powerful runners to make inroads into the Salisbury defence. Desperate defence saw Salisbury infringe too many times and the referee showed a second yellow card. Now down to 13 men, Salisbury were being stretched and another powerful drive saw Bournemouth crash over in the corner.
Half Time Bournemouth 12 - 24 Salisbury
Salisbury starting the second half with 13 players meant that Bournemouth had the edge and they used their numerical advantage to immediately put pressure on the Salisbury line to score again to reduce the deficit to 19 - 24. However, Bournemouth did not have it all their own way and after being restored to 14 men Salisbury mounted a sustained attack on the Bournemouth line and after several phases of play the ball was forced over the line in the corner. The conversion was unsuccessful but Salisbury had restored a 10 point advantage 19 -29. Shortly afterwards Salisbury were restored to a full 15 but Bournemouth continued to apply pressure through their powerful runners. The Salisbury defence held firm and were able to break out of their own 22. With the Bournemouth fullback and winger committed the ball was kicked deep into the home 22. A fantastic chase by the Salisbury winger and open side put pressure on the covering defence who were unable to gather the ball cleanly and Salisbury pounced to score again to increase the gap to 15 points, 19 - 34. Bournemouth were far from finished and played the rest of the game in the Salisbury half. There efforts were rewarded by a final score in the corner followed by an excellent conversion from the side line to make the final score 26 - 34.
Full Time Bournemouth 26 - 34 Salisbury
DSC 0180
DSC 0187
DSC 0188
DSC 0194
DSC 0195
DSC 0197
DSC 0199
DSC 0206
DSC 0213
DSC 0219
DSC 0228
DSC 0231
DSC 0235
DSC 0237
DSC 0254
DSC 0257
DSC 0259
DSC 0264
DSC 0272
DSC 0275
DSC 0276
DSC 0278
DSC 0280
DSC 0285
DSC 0287
DSC 0297
DSC 0301
DSC 0314
DSC 0327
DSC 0331
DSC 0332
DSC 0334
DSC 0344
DSC 0348
DSC 0355
DSC 0357
DSC 0363
DSC 0366
DSC 0370
DSC 0379
DSC 0415