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Photos: Ian Packard
James ran away with victory over Alcuin, winning 23-5, but the win was at times in doubt, as the Black Swans took a while to ground out a victory over their close rival.
Early signs from kick off were that the games real match up was in the front row, James’ big three of Ed Pallister, Neil Kerr, Tommy Savage taking on the raw meat of Jon Hamilton, Tom Lea and Matt Forrest.
With regular starters Alex Wilson and Sam Asfahani unable to make the match, James were to dominate most of the early scrums and line-outs where Greg McQuade and Phil Clayton were excellent in the air.
With 15 minutes on the clock, James earned a penalty their possession deserved. James all time point scorer, Alex Muntus added to that tally he’d amassed by putting his kick between the uprights.
Alcuin responded extremely well to going behind. Fly Half Marinus Maris found the rampaging Benj McNorton from his kick off to set up play deep in their opponents half.
James scrum half Jack Robirosa struggled to clear the lines, and soon after Maris was able to string the ball out to James Evans who found his centre partner, Muzzy Foley. ‘Captain Selfish’ went over in the corner to send his team into an early lead. Orignally from Langwith, Maris could not add the extras for his adopted side.
Alcuin were set in the match, scrum half Andreas Papadolambakis box kicks were complimenting the territory game played by his fly half Maris.
It was five minutes before the end of the half when Alcuin committed two errors that helped sway the game. Matt Forrest with men over decided to out-muscle his tackler, his American football swipe was penalised and James cleared their lines.
Then an Alcuin loose pass from the lineout was pounced upon by James centre Tom Prifti, his footwork got him to the try-line, and a Muntus conversion put James 10-5 in front at half-time.
James buoyed by the score, stepped up a whole gear after the break. Muntus notched another penalty from an Alcuin offside to extend the score to 13-5.
James Captain Benj Brummitt came off the bench to see out the last 20 minutes. He was involved in a try, which seemed to knock the wind out of Alcuin. Brummitts ball to Anthony Matthews was brought inside to Muntus who then fed winger Ollie Dickens who finished with aplomb.
Dickens was to add a late second, Muntus pulling on all his experience to chase down his own kick and pressurise Alcuin’s winger, the charged down kick was picked up by Dickens to end the game 23-5.
Winning captain Benj Brummitt slowly recovering from his illness, felt ‘the victory was well-earned. ‘It was one of the my most satisfying victories in James colours’
Alcuin captain, Muzzy Foley pointed to ill discipline for his sides defeat. His Ferguson esqe pledge to knock James off their perch didn’t happen to him today. But Foley and teammate Rashid believed that ‘ if you cut them (James), they will bleed’.
James will hope to patch themselves up from a bruising encounter, and look to the inevitable crunch game with fellow unbeaten side, Derwent.