Sat 23 Oct 2021
This weekend Pavs welcomed Cheshire club Sandbach RFC to Burntstump in Round Seven of the Midlands Premier competition. As it was President’s Day, a large crowd of former players, supporters and guests gathered in anticipation of an entertaining and well contested affair.
In this season of no relegation, Pavs continue to give opportunities to their talented youngsters in order to give them experience of rugby at this level, before the reformulated league gets into full swing next season. Eighteen year olds, Josh Alton-Smith, Zane Chiappetta, Taran Elms, Ewan Laughton, Alex Rimmington, and Jack Taylor have all made their home debuts with the last four taking the field for Saturday’s game. In addition to this, Pavs have been able to welcome back students Tom Davis and Will Taylor on regular occasions, whilst the potential of props Lochlan Dudley and Jake Baldry is to be viewed every weekend. It would also be churlish not to mention the massive effort produced by the rest of the squad, who in themselves are mainly still in their twenties or very early thirties. As such Pavs remain a young squad with the emphasis very much on youth and promotion of players through the Junior system.
Both sides made a bright and breezy start with plenty of vim and vigour. Sandbach went ahead with a converted early penalty. For their part Pavs chose to kick to the corner when awarded an early penalty, but the resulting drive was well defended by the away side. On ten minutes, a loose passage of Pavs allowed Sandbach centre James Preston to evade a series of tackles before scoring in the corner and give Sandbach an 8-0 lead. On nineteen minutes and following another penalty, Pavs No8 James Reeson was able to go over following a sequence of forward drives. Fly half George Billam added to the extras to draw the home side close at 8-7. Minutes later Pavs expansive style saw wing Tom Davis collect a chipped kick before sprinting forty metres to the line, again Billam added the extras to put Pavs in to the lead at 14-8 on twenty four minutes. For the rest of the half, the game ebbed and flowed until, on forty two minutes, Sandbach scored under the posts to take them back in the lead at 15-14.
At the beginning of the second half, Sandbach slowly began to take the initiative. An early try further extended their lead and with injuries to forwards Joe Collingham and Kieran Wells, Pavs were forced to restructure their pack. Pavs made several strong forays into the Sandbach twenty two, but determined defence kept them out. For the rest of the half, any errors Pavs made were snapped up by Sandbach and used to excellent effect. Three tries followed in the last ten minutes of the game to bring the final score to 47-14 in their favour.
Sandbach deserved to run out winners, but not perhaps by the margin achieved. Pavs competed well and gave their all for the cause, they remain a young side, for the most part, and one hopes the experience they are gaining in playing a well organised and competitive side like Sandbach will be of huge benefit in the times to come. Next weekend Pavs travel to Scunthorpe RFC for another tough battle in The Midlands Premier League.
Nigel Youl
