Bitterly cold day at Bridge Road but another bonus point win for Holt

Thank you to Martyn Sloman for this match report:

On a bitterly cold day at Bridge Road Holt secured another bonus point win to maintain their position at the top of the league. Once again the home side showed that their strengths lay in the speed of their outside backs and the tenacity of their defence.

A strong wind worked to Holt’s favour in the first half and it was ten minutes into the game before the visitors ventured deep into in the Holt half. Unfortunately for them when they made their first incursion a pass along the back line was intercepted by Holt’s full back, Geoff Flather who had a clear run to the line. Realising he did not have the pace to outstretch the Wisbech defenders he paused and passed to centre Ben Reedman who was able to finish the move with a try; Tom Jackson converted.
Holt then exerted sustained pressure and captain Ashley Woods crashed over the Wisbech line from short range. This was followed by a trade mark try from Holt scrum-half Bruce van Poortvliet who has been in excellent form all season; his blind side break was followed by a 30 metre run and a try in the corner. The gusty wind meant that it was not a day for the kickers, so neither try was converted, but Holt were now comfortably ahead 17-0 at half time.

So far Wisbech had coped with the wind by playing to their strength. Their pack, with two 18 year olds in the front row and their man of the match David Wadsley at wing forward, were able to gain territory through close inter-passing and driving mauls. It was no more than they deserved when scrum Harry Newman opened their scoring with a try immediately after the interval. There followed a contest of attrition as Wisbech prevented Holt from playing their preferred open game, and the cold wind made handling a challenge.

Midway thought the second half Holt put the result beyond doubt through excellent interplay involving their two young wing-three quarters. Left wing Tom Goose picked up a speculative Wisbech kick ahead in his own twenty-two and ran at the oncoming defence. After beating several players he handed on to Ashley Woods; he in turn passed immediately to right wing Henry Flower who was able to complete the 80 metre move with a try in the corner. The score was now 22-5 in Holt’s favour with the bonus point secured. The visitors had the last word with a try by Ramos Vinska: although playing on the wing for Wisbech in this game, at one time he had been capped at prop at international level for Lithuania and certainly offered a threat with ball in hand. Newman converted and the final score of 22-12 was a fair result.

Holt will be well pleased with a result that takes them into the new year at the top of the table with the next two games against the clubs lying bottom. Henry Flower was Holt’s Norfolk Brewhouse Man of the Match.