Saturday 7th November 2009 - Grove (18) vs. Aylesbury (6)

Grove overcame Aylesbury by 18 points to 6 in a match that was never allowed to flow by an incredibly
zealous referee. The first penalty was awarded to Grove after just 6 minutes and was duly slotted
by fly half Roger Sevier for a 3 point lead. Almost immediately Aylesbury were on level terms
when their full back Gary Horne replied with a penalty following a Grove offside at a ruck.
Before 10 minutes play, another penalty was awarded to Grove, duly slotted by Sevier. Dave Maryon
had to leave the field at this point with a broken nose caused by a swinging arm from Horne, and
was replaced permanently by John Gerring when he could not continue. The Grove backs tried to
run ball at Aylesbury on regular occasions, particularly through No. 8 Ben Nicholl, full back
Nick Hayes and wing John Barrett but each time the attacks were halted by penalty awards to
Aylesbury and it was from one of these that Horne levelled the score again.
More penalties followed and the game became very fractured as the referee felt the need to blow
his whistle at any and every opportunity. Aylesbury controlled the game for a short period
but when Horne missed on his next attempt to kick for the lead, Grove started to assert themselves
through the forwards and Aylesbury's game resorted to one of kicking for position every time
they received the ball. With half time looming Horne was yellow carded for punching and
was lucky not be sent off. This time Roger Sevier took a tap penalty resulting in a great run
from John Barrett although had he realised centre Nick Sevier who was clear in space in support
there would almost definitely have been a Grove try scored but instead a penalty was awarded to
Aylesbury when Barrett took contact allowing them to clear the immediate danger. A dangerous
moment for Grove then occurred when the Aylesbury hooker Graham Sale slipped a tackle attempt
and had a fine run up the middle of the park but this was halted by good tackling and the
half time score was 6-6.From the 2nd half kick off, Aylesbury attacked but they were thwarted by a big tackle from
captain Steve Maryon. Aylesbury then attempted an unsuccessful drop goal and Grove scrum half
James Barrett took a very quick 22 metre restart followed up by a good run from flanker Guy Nicholl
whose inexplicable chip ahead was then brought back with a strong run right to the Grove try line
by one of the Aylesbury locks.Grove played out of their half with a fine run from Gerring and play moved to the other end of
the field. Grove then developed their best attack of the game so far with some great inter-passing
between the backs and terrific driving from the Grove forwards which resulted finally in a try for
John Barrett. Roger Sevier converted to put Grove seven points clear at 13-6 and Grove were now
gaining the ascendancy. Another great Ben Nicholl run then occurred having been fed the ball by
Hayes followed by a super run down the wing by James Barrett. Strong forwards pressure from
Aylesbury took them back up the pitch but Grove's defence held firm and it was they who broke
out with a huge kick from Ben Nicholl followed up by brother Guy which only ended when the ball
was knocked forwards. Aylesbury then attacked strongly again but good work from hooker Jon North
and a particularly big tackles from Roger Sevier and Nick Hayes held them at bay once more.

Grove kept attacking whenever they could, and Aylesbury just about managed to keep them at bay,
but the referee assisted by awarding penalties consistently against Grove when it appeared Aylesbury
were the team at fault. Aylesbury pushed right back to the Grove try line when in possesion but
again Grove broke out with great runs from John Barrett, Hayes and Gerring who was just stopped
from scoring by a great Aylesbury tackle 5 metres short from the try line. Aylesbury then started
to have trouble with their lineout but further penalties to them kept Grove out from having the
ball for any length of time. When Grove finally got the ball again from a stolen lineout ball by
flanker James Kerr, it was moved very quickly across the field for John Barrett to run in his second
try of the day and Grove were leading 18-6. Aylesbury did not give up however and strong running
and a further series of penalties allowed them to approach the Grove try line once more but again
big tackles from Steve Maryon and Jamie Fredericks held them out and another opportunistic break
out by the Grove backs almost saw John Barrett go over for his hat-trick but a knock on stopped
the move close to the Aylesbury line. Again Aylesbury pushed right back up the field but a smashing
tackle from Guy Nicholl halted their progress and the game came to a close with Grove as the
deserved winners despite the vast number of penalty against themScorers:Grove Tries - John Barrett (2); Conversion - R Sevier; Penalties - R Sevier (2).Aylesbury Penalties - Horne (2);Grove team: G Eltham (Bashford), North, T Eltham, S Maryon, Fredericks, Kerr, G Nicholl, B Nicholl,
James Barrett, R Sevier, Grant, D Maryon (Gerring),N Sevier, John Barrett, HayesReps - Basford, Brooks, Gerring