NEWLY formed Benfleet Vikings were visiting the Stanford Rec for the first and with both sides having good seasons this game was poised to be exciting.
Stanford were dealt a massive blow in only the first 3 minutes when Jack Egar powered into the Vikings defence and was felled by an excellent tackle but sadly as Egar went down he fell awkwardly and played no more part in the game, bring Reece Anderson on to the field of play. (After a hospital visit it was discovered that Egar has sustained a fractured Tibia and will be out for the rest of the season).
Scrums were not an equal battle as Vikings pushed Stanford backwards or to be more accurate Stanford slid backwards. The open play was very evenly matched. The Vikings centre pairing were being made to work hard as Stanford kept attacking and as Stanford found a gap a last ditch tackle attempt was far too high and a penalty was awarded. Calum Reid stepped up and put the first 3 points on the board with ease.
Vikings were not letting the home side have it all their own way and in an attack of their own they were awarded a scrum after the Stanford defence held up a try attempt. Vikings scrum was just too powerful and pushed the Stanford pack back over the try line to score 5 points and take the lead. Close to the posts the conversion was very easy and Vikings led the game 3 – 7 after 22 minutes.
As Stanford attacked the Vikings line the visitors were having to rush defence but were persistently offside and were on the back foot. As Stanford got closer Vikings were forced to defend on the try line. Stanford forced their way over through Dan May but he was held up but again Vikings had stepped up to early. As the penalty was retaken the ball was moved left and Reece Anderson smashed his way to score Stanford’s first try. Reid had no trouble adding the extra points to put Stanford back into the lead 10 -7.
Vikings were getting frustrated and on 32 minutes this boiled over and their number 8 was sent off to cool down for 10 minutes. Despite being down to 14 men Vikings were still attacking and causing Stanford to scramble back and defend. Stanford on the counter attack were supporting their team mates and making good ground. Just as the first half was drawing to a close Vikings were again caught off side. From the following penalty Stanford played the ball quickly and switched play back inside with Jared Gounden sprinting and stepping through the Vikings defence. As Gounden was eventually pulled down he laid the ball off and the Stanford support was ready and moved the ball wide to Full Back Ricky Damm who sprinted outside the remaining two defenders and dived over the line on the 40 minutes to close the first half 15 – 7 to Stanford. Ryan Edgeway had given everything during the first half and was totally spent so handed over to Ryan Slaney for the 2nd half.
After being restored to 15 men Vikings started to test the Stanford defence again. An inside ball caught the Stanford centres out and Vikings broke through but Damm was a match taking his player to the floor, As the Vikings player went down he popped up to a team mate in hot pursuit. Clear and clean through Vikings were going to open the second half scoring but the lesson to learn here is never to celebrate a score until it has been taken. Raising his right arm in celebration like Chris Ashton everyone waited for the big splash but Matt Greenhill had other ideas. Sprinting off his wing a long arm dive Greenhill tap tackled the Viking player who tripped and spilt the ball forward. If the try had been scored it could really have changed the tempo of the game that followed.
Stanford cleared their lines and pushed Vikings far back into their own half. Stanford for the next 15 minutes kept Vikings penned back inside their 22. Vikings were at first penalised for a high tackle and then hands in the ruck but these two penalty kicks just sailed past the posts. Stanford continued to attack and Vikings continued to come up off side, two more penalties resulted in Reid finding the target putting Stanford 21 – 7 ahead.
Vikings came close to pulling back the score slightly with 10 minutes to go but Stanford’s discipline and defence was immaculate and kept their visitors away from their line, to take the win 21 -7.
Captain Matt Rumble summed up the game as probably hardest game they had played this season. Ryan Edgeway and Matt Rumble were awarded Men of match for their unrelenting work rate.
