LEIGHTON BUZZARD 56- 3 MELTON MOWBRAY

After losing their unbeaten record last week, Buzzards returned to winning ways with a convincing eight-try demolition of Melton Mowbray. With the bonus point secured before half time, Leighton stay top of Midlands 2 East ( South).

Melton Mowbray kicked off uphill in dry but gusty and cold conditions. Despite playing against the wind, it took Buzzards only three minutes to open the scoring with Ash Walsh touching down following a rolling maul. Four minutes later full- back Harri Sayer broke from his own twenty-two to run fully seventy metres to score a fine individual try. Both attempted conversions were missed, but Lee Walker kicked a penalty after twenty minutes to give Leighton a 13-0 lead.

The Buzzard backs were now looking dangerous – a break by Euan Irwin was stopped just short but the recycled ball was transferred to Eddie Wiggins who jinked his way under the posts. Lee Walker converted, although five minutes later, the visitors pulled three points back with a penalty of their own to make the score 20-3.

Whilst a number of handling errors and a very high penalty count was disrupting the flow of the game, Buzzards continued to look more threatening. It was the forward pack that added the bonus point try – driving a maul from inside their own half for fully fifty metres, hooker Ash Walsh touched down for his second try of the game. Lee Walker converted from close to the touch line and then added a penalty with the last kick of the half to leave Leighton 30-3 at the break.

Buzzards applied the pressure from the start of the second half and there was little surprise that it took only five minutes for Harri Sayer to score in the corner. Seven minutes later the rampaging Tom Byard scored under the posts. Walker’s conversion of the second try put Leighton 42-3 ahead.

Despite the result not being in doubt, Melton Mowbray were competitive and showed a spirited defence. Whilst they rarely threatened the Buzzard line, they had  pace in midfield and made a couple of sharp breaks testing Leighton’s defence.  However with ten minutes left, Leighton fullback Harri Sayer, who had an excellent game, scored another fine individual try. There remained time for another Euan Irwin break to put Eddie Wiggins in for his second try. Lee Walker converted both late tries leaving the final score 56-3.

This was a fine performance by Leighton with an entertaining mix of individual and team tries. Next Saturday they travel to mid-table Northampton Casuals knowing that a victory will leave them top of the league at the season’s mid-point.