In a weekend with all three senior teams away from home, mixed with players having earned call ups to test their metal at a higher level, it was always going to be a tough day at the office for the Tertians. Many thanks as always for the Tertian's highly entertaining match report from Duncan Ayers, which follows below.

Following the Tertian's game, these post-match comments from Head Coach Phil Sharpe "This was another away day for the 3's playing against Dereham 1st team. It was a tough day but still a proud one, as Holt are one of the few clubs that can get three sides out regularly using our own players. This is a side newly promoted halfway through the season, and we have a good mix of old heads and youth coming through that will pay dividends in the future."

A few dates for your diary (before the match report): -

Next weekend on Saturday 21st January is a BIG day as we have all 3 teams due to be playing at Bridge Road - the 1st XV entertain Ely, the 2nd XV play Diss 2s, and the Tertians play Southwold 2s; a 2pm kick-off for all 3 games. We will enjoy a pre-match lunch at midday, with sponsors Payne Crop Nutrition. Once again thank you so much for your continued support. Please book your pre-match lunch in the usual way with Mike Bush by Wednesday evening.

The rescheduled game against Wymondham, which was penciled in for 4th February, will now be played under lights at Wymondham on Friday 3rd February. Kick times and pre match arrangement but likely to be about 7.45pm to allow for players time to turnaround after work.

Please save Friday 17th March for our Annual Club Quiz Night. Details will follow this week.

Club Captain and Tertian's player Duncan Ayers reported: "After 1 drop out due to an Ovine jail break, the team were down to the bare 15. This meant digging deep for some of the stalwarts of the 3s to find 80 minutes of rugby in the gas tank. The Dereham team was full of young fresh faced players, gone were the brutes of yesteryear and in their place fast agile runners. The prospect the forwards had thought they would face of a brawl style game gave way to the reality that everyone on the pitch would have to run their hearts out to keep up with the Dereham style of play.

The Holt pack had a combined age of over 350 compared to a Dereham pack around the 200 mark so the hope was the extra “experience” and weight would make up for the endurance and top speed deficit.

The Game kicked off and immediately Holt were holding Dereham in their own half. Within the first 10 minute section the ref had laid out the law on “chat” and both teams had to watch the errors. Both teams held their own in the scrums and several times Holt were quick in the lineout and managed to catch Dereham asleep. The back row were rapid on the defence from the scrum and chased the ball putting pressure on the younger side and forcing handling errors. Holt managed to advance to within the Dereham 22 but were unable to monopolise from the position and Dereham were able to kick clear. From a scrum, the ball went through the hands of the backs but an interception break saw a Dereham back trough to open the scoring.

Holt from the restart went back to work and were again making ground, offside after offside led to a sin bin for Dereham and a chance to get a line out within the 22. Holt took the ball but couldn’t gain the forward momentum to break a good tackling Dereham defence. Again the ball was intercepted and a break away try was scored by Dereham. Hooker Will Barker with an injured shoulder went off and as Holt had no replacement, Holt played on 14 v 14 with Nate Gregory into the front row. Again Holt were able to tackle and stop Dereham building speed, counter rucking and stealing the ball in the tackle but could not convert the effort into points, penalties kept coming in the Dereham 22 but whether crashing in the forwards or through the backs hands the Dereham defence held. Kicking clear led to the backs running the ball back at Dereham. A turn-over saw Dereham break again and a try. From the restart a Dereham knock-on catch mean Holt scrum. Ever versed in the dark arts of the front row, Dave Jones found himself being slapped in the face by his opposite number, flummoxed by the odd gesture and thinking it must be a Dereham way of saying “You’re a good prop” he returned the greeting! The ref intervened to settle the scrum but the Dereham prop wanted to continue discussing it with the ref, this led to a swift yellow card and the removal of the player, on his way from the pitch he may or may not have had a suggestion for what the ref should do and the yellow became a red. After the red, the player convinced he would be the first in history to change a refs mind, continued the discussion but Dereham were down to 13. Holt from the penalty restart took the ball forward and up the wing, Chris Hunt taking a large hit and his last action in the game. The Dereham coach in a display of what the game is about gave Holt a Dereham player and the game continued without Holt being able to make advantage despite winning own set piece and disrupting Dereham's. A kick through that bounced up led to another Dereham try. By half time it was 30 something to Dereham and zero to Holt.

The second half saw the difference in fitness levels show. Holt could maintain 2-3 phases of defence but holes appeared after and with the sin bin back on a 14v14 game was on. Holt's pack now down to a one-legged Jones and Duncan Ayers with no legs (sorry I am laughing now guys as I type this up!) were slow to get across the field and Dereham monopolised. If Holt could catch them they could turn the ball but able to play freely the Dereham youngsters found there own putting together great set piece runs and open play cross field kicks all that brought them points. The Holt defence never stopped running and prevented many balls going down between the posts so the Dereham kicker had a hard day getting conversions. Holt fought there way down the pitch only to see some bright Dereham lad run it back the other way .Dereham's big weakness was that every forward wanted to take a quick lineout and kept running off with the ball. Both sides now tiring from the scrumfest put a hard last 10 minutes in and, with the floodlights on, Holt played till the last second. With chances to kick a couple of penalties for 3 points Holt decided that we wanted a try rather than just put something on the score board but as time ran out along with the gas in the tank, Dereham held. The final result 75-0.

All 15 players that put on the shirt had a great game so no one will be called out as highlight. All the players ran their hearts out. Every time Holt found themselves stood under the posts they talked each other up, set themselves and ran back to restart the game. Two of the more senior players had said they would never play 80 mins again, players returning from injury, players out of position, all the team had smiles on their faces at the end because if you can sum up the thirds it’s a group of guys that want to play rugby. Win or lose, rain or sun.

Man of match was Sam Goose, he played in backs out of position and for every handling error put in a big hit.

A big thank you to Dereham, the score line does not reflect the effort they had to put in to get it, it was by no means a walk in the park, also for giving us a sub and playing the game till the last minute in a way showing class and of respect for the opposition. For the first time I can honestly say I look forward to playing Dereham in the future.

We will never know how the game may have gone had not the sheep escaped.