Many thanks to Club Captain Duncan Ayers for the following match report and words of positivity and wisdom following the Tertians defeat: Another big score line but again, this is not the story of the game.

Swaffham 1st XV vs Holt 3rd XV.

Before beginning Duncan's report, post match feedback from Head Coach Phil Sharpe: "The Holt 3's continue to impress playing against other club 1st teams. Holding their own in the first quarter against a determined Swaffham 1st team. The team know what they need to work on but do so from a positive place. The club appreciate the efforts the boys put in, to continue to push the 2s and 1s to be better, Ben Perowne and Benn Chisholm, leading from the front. Thanks also to the ever present Club Captain Duncan Ayers for his unwavering belief in the team and for his drive and positive energy."

This match report starts off with two statements,

1st, The score was 74-3, a big number against a smaller number, now forget that, let it go.

2nd, Grassroots. remember this.

The thirds travelled to Swaffham; they top the table and are in a race to finish top against Dereham. After a strong week training, the thirds had a good line up and a subs bench well stocked. Louis Chapman back for a game and Maurice Gedney, finding himself available on a Saturday, donned boots - and a special mention goes to Trevor Allen who, seeing a full roster, was happy to be on last minute call up if needed. The atmosphere in the changing room was tense, nothing to do with the game but vice captain Chisolm had taken the medical bag on a tour of other clubs on the way to Swaffham and was enroute from Dereham's ground with the much needed support structure required by the seasoned players.

The starting line up looked good. The front row consisted of Will Barker hooking and managing the prop super duo of “Old and Older” Ayers and Jones. In the second row at both ends of the scale Sleightholme and Burns, with the back row of Reedham, Gedney, and debuting at 8 Robertson. The backs had strength and speed with Chisolm managing a line up from Watson, a returning Dixon, Horth and Wallace on wings, backing up Pearce at full back. All under the command of captain Perowne.

From the Swaffham kick-off the ball wasn’t gathered and a knock-on meant the first scrum of the day. The Swaffham front row got under the Holt props and lifted; a quick discussion after the scrum from hooker Barker sorted the issue. Swaffham probed for weakness in the defence but the work put in during the week was showing and Holt were tackling as a line defence. As the phases built, Holt became stretched and Swaffham were able to break through and open the scoring. The first of many Watson restarts saw the ball hang with enough time for Holt's forwards to apply pressure, and Swaffham tried to pass around them only to be met with a crunching tackle from Watson. Holt driving Swaffam back into their 22 forced a kick out to clear lines, a battle in the middle of the field saw the ball turned over several times. The next scrum issues sorted, the ball was hooked back by Holt and through the backs hands, but an intercept of a pass meant Swaffham found themselves scoring under the posts but Holt were building.

The restart again was a great hanging ball and Holt pushed, Swaffham clearing the lines meant the first lineout of the game and seeing they only had one player in blocks, Holt used the short line. Ayers and Reedham lifted a helium filled Gedney to take the ball in the middle of the line, all but unopposed. The backs were unleashed and drove up the centre of the park and won a penalty for the rucker not supporting his own weight; Watson slotted the penalty to put Holt on the board.

Holt held their own for the next 20 minutes winning their own scrum and dominating the line out, but strong carriers for Swaffham at 8 and 9 were punching holes and Swaffham started to build their lead. Holt found themselves back in the Swaffham 22 only to see the ball kicked out again after Ayers was bought down by the bridle or scrum cap chin strap as its more commonly known. Swaffham, seeing that they were beat in the air started to counter by hitting Perowne fast from the line out. This disrupted the clean ball through the hands. Another break saw Swaffham stopped dead on the try line by low tackles from Robertson and Reedham. Kicks out of Holts 22 were chased down and both Watson and Pearse managed the pressure and kept making ground. With ball in hand Holt couldn’t seem to get over the line but were breaking tackles and making ground. Watson, after hyper extending a finger, unleashed a clearance kick and sent it into the travelling support hitting #1 cheerleader Rachel Jones! Lucky for him the half time whistle loomed and Dave didn’t notice.

Halftime saw Louis Chapman replace Jack Dixon and the game got underway. Again the scrums were won and lineout dominated, but the forwards were not getting enough clean ball for the backs to use. The phases would build and the defence were drawn in leaving Holt exposed. The Reverend Wallace out on the wing, saw such an error when he found himself in a 5 on 1 covering half the pitch, to paraphrase “would you gents care to look and see you have left quite an overlap for me to deal with, why not try removing your craniums from your posteriors!" Swaffham again with the initial strong carry were able to break a line then play the phases to score.

At this point in the game Reedham decided that enough was enough. In the line out Perowne was getting swamped so he came up with some chess level tactics. In the next line out Gedney held the ball and was held up, the hooker and back marker ran around to again flatten the scrum half only to see the ball still in a smiling Gedney’s hands and a penalty for offside. Watson kicked deep and again a line out, this time Reedham's plan was modified. The opposition waited till Gedney’s feet hit the ground then aimed at the scrum, but Reedham and Ayers threw Gedney forward and he broke into a run as the lifters followed. Gedney was brought down by a last shirt tackle short of the line, the ball went through the hands and a crash from Robertson saw him 5 short driven into touch. The Holt fire was not out. Again periods of great play and defence were broken by missed tackles and Swaffham tries but nothing came free, most were corner scores and Holt kept running. Wallace went off for Keeble, Sleighthome had a knock after a messy contact and went off for Gregory, the pack reshuffled with Robertson and Gregory in the row. The Holt scrum started to dominate as the Swaffham scrum couldn’t settle and gave away penalties for early pushes. Holt were getting ball to the back and making phases. A penalty in front of the posts was tapped and, with an overlap, the forwards didn’t receive the pass well and another opportunity was missed. Keeble in his return nearly ended the Swaffham 10 with a big tackle. Carries for Chapman were strong but Swaffham loaded the coverage on Louis. A break down the left wing saw newly subbed on Mat Davey run a great line and power into the contact, only failing to get the ball out as the tackler didn’t retreat. Holt tried everything to break through while still defending like demons. Swaffham dropped to 14 for a knock down penalty and again tackles on the try line stopped Swaffham scoring. At 60 points down Holt players were still putting their bodies on the line.

Again Davey on the wing with a 3 man overlap defended, forcing Swaffham to score by the corner flag; nothing was given easy. The last 10 minutes saw the Swaffham scrum tire and driven back but Holt couldn’t find a way through. The whistle blew and the game was over.

One and all Holt players had smiles on their faces. The travelling support from the Wallace camp, Jones camp, Perowne camp, Chisolm camp (including the dog) injured Chris Hunt and the rest on the side line gave us a boost throughout the game (despite being told that “Swaffham had nicer eyes”). A great game lead by Perowne, clean, disciplined and few penalties. There are areas to build on but there was great improvement by players learning new positions. Swaffham had a good game, strong carries and clean play; we wish them luck in their last two remaining games.

Congratulations to Man of the Match Henry Pearce who ran a great defence from the back preventing gains from the boot and tackling out of this world, stopping several tries culminating with stopping the Swaffham 8 shy of the line in a cross field tackle that took all of the momentum out of the bigger player, forcing him to spill the ball.

So back to the statements.

1st, The score was 74-3, a big number against a smaller number, now forget that, let it go.

The players did, 80 minutes of rugby and the last was played as if it was the first. A team that can loose a well as the thirds, lets just say where ever you are in Norfolk, you will hear them when they win.

2nd, Grassroots.

The thirds went to play a 1st team side that in their own words wanted to bloody the nose of the team that beat them last year in the cup. That was our 2nds but “one club one squad” the thirds stepped up and no matter what they kept getting back up and enjoying the game. That why its called grassroots, grass isn’t mighty like the oak, or graceful like the willow but by hell it can stand up to the storm. The thirds just keep coming back for more and won’t be defeated even in losing.

A special mention goes to Dave Burns who announced his retirement from the playing game after the final whistle. Dave captained the thirds though a tricky period when many clubs saw their social sides failing, he provided the foundation that Ben builds on today. Much in his own words a “marmite player” he will be missed by team mates, referees and opposition in equal measure, and those that wont miss him. Reports are that the stock value of yellow cards crashed overnight. I'm sure Dave will enjoy giving it his all from the sideline and we all look forward to the constructive criticism.

The club thanks Dave for all his efforts, Duncan Ayers Club Captain: “For a vegetarian, that man sure takes his pound of flesh from the opposition every game. I look forward to there being a loud voice on the sideline and more tape in the medical bag for the rest of us.”