GAB & Wyc play out high scoring friendly

With the sun breaking through the clouds and the temperature rapidly rising, GAB and High Wycombe 2s took to the field, with their 1s opening their league accounts on the next door pitch. Both teams will be competing in Counties 4 this season, GAB in the northern half, Wycombe in the southern of the BBO league.

A good sized crowd gathered, some waiting for the 1s to kick off, but the high class entertainment kept many glued to the action - especially the large group of WAGs who'd come down to watch their beloveds - more on that later - and Wycombe kicked off the game under the watchful eye of Kevin Perry-Evans who had a good game and kept the communications around the new tackle laws clear and consistent.

Wycombe were quicker out of the blocks and, despite some good periods of GAB pressure, got themselves into a 17-0 lead, before GAB finally got on the scoresheet - a lineout in the corner (after scrummy Alfie Morton had asked to kick for 3, first of 3 notable offences) led to good ball, and when the backs were released a well time run from Marc Grant had him barreling through defenders and over the line. Alfie Morton added the extras on what was to be a good day from the tee.

GAB were next on the score sheet, when another penalty touch-finder this time fell short, cunnningly so, and the Wycombe player spilled the ball leading to a GAB scrum on the 5m line. The one part of the game where GAB were never 2nd best all game was in the scrum, and so it was not surprising that after driving them back, debutant No 8 Ed Clark was able to pick and crash over. Again Alfie Morton knocked over the conversion.

As well as Ed, GAB fielded two more debutants on the wing in Rob Sutton (no relation) and Trevor Boston. Trevor particularly was very vocal at half time to gee up the boys who, after Wycombe had broken through twice more when into the break 14-29 down, but not feeling out of it at all. The other significant moment to call out of the first half was young Alfie, when kicking for touch from another pen, decided it would be a good idea to kick the ball into the under-basket of 3-month old Phoebe Donnelly... Offence 2 of 3 which saw Alfie rightly up on a chair after a game with a pint to see off.

A shuffle round at half time saw Ed Clark & Chris Good taking well earned breathers and Trevor Boston to have some extra work done on a pulled thigh - replaced by Dan Bullimore, Charlie Loveday & Richie Robbins. All players returned to the pitch as the game progressed and the heat started to take its impact, and Jason Beesley also joined the fray for a 10min jaunt towards the end of the half.

Unfortunately the half time team talk didn't have its desired effect, with some lacklustre tackling allowing Wycombe to score from the kick off (14-36), but after that GAB tightened things up and started to assert themselves once more. As if having Trevor's words in his year, Kay McLauchlan caught clearance kick and refusing to go down despite the attention of 2 tacklers was able to get the ball away to Andy Schwarz whose quick pass to Alfie Morton saw him in acres of space to go over - declining to take the ball as close to the posts as possible, he then missed his resulting conversion (offence 3 of 3). 19-36

GAB's next score came after some good field position was established by sheer perseverance of Trevor Boston had GAB up into Wycombe's half. After some phases of possession and GAB just a couple of metres out, Alfie Morton took advantage of Chris Boyd's delay in remembering he was allowed to pick himself and dived over for his second score just by the posts. Wycombe had scored a try where their unfairly quick winger had been put in too much space, making the rest a formality, and another score where a missed tackle in midfield saw a half break easily finished by the support. 26-50.

Another Wycombe score looked to be the final material say in the game, but GAB had one more play in them, swarming up-field chasing a clearing kick and putting the Wycombe players under so much pressure that the ball was turned over for 40 somethings Chris Boyd and Rob Eynon to combine to send the latter on his way under the posts leaving the final points an easy two which Alfie Morton gladly stroked over for a final score of 33-55

A fun game, played in good spirits under a decent ref in gorgeous weather beside a fully stocked bar. Just what the doctor ordered to get the season up and running. GAB's first league game is away at freshly relegated Grove 2s, surely eyeing an immediate return to Counties 3 - GAB will be aiming to put a dent in that ambition on the first weekend, on the first step to building a successful season.

Everyone put their hands up today, and the large number of the Vets team out on the field did very well sticking through the 80mins in the scorcher. Special mentions to Ed Clark (who put in a number of bone crunching hits, alongside his try and one barnstorming break that should have resulted in a try if not for a GAB knock-on), Alfie Morton (2 tries, 4/5 from the tee and a great 50:22, but let down by his other indiscretions) and the whole pack (who never went backwards in the scrum, even winning a couple of pens). However, our Tap Social Man of the Match was Kay McLauchlan who did a great job in the first half having never played 15 before, before moving to wing and then to centre and performing well in them all. As well as the 3 debutants, great to see Richie Robbins, Andy Schwarz, Chris Boyd & Charlie Loveday back in the shirts after long gaps.