10th April 2010


Windsor 29 - 24 Maidenhead
(league fixture)
 

Last game of the season, a dry pitch and a local derby. What more could you want? Well. A cracking match and this was it with the result in doubt until the final whistle. That Windsor won by 5 points shouldn’t detract from the quality of Maidenhead’s performance.

Maidenhead nearly scored first when Lester Martin went over in the corner only to be called back for a foot in touch. However with nearly all the play deep in the Maidenhead half the next scores went to Windsor from firstly a short drive over from a maul and then from a break-away try. Maidenhead managed to pull back 3 points from a Rob Wilkins penalty and then the best try of the half when Rob Wilkins dummied to set Ed Poulding free to dance over under the posts from near the half-way line. Then another score to Maidenhead right against the run of play, when a rather speculative kick ahead saw the ball bounce on it’s point and completely fool the cover allowing Ed Poulding to touch down.

Half-time and Maidenhead ahead 17 – 12. Strange half though as all the pressure had been on Maidenhead particularly in the set scrums.

After about 15 minutes of the second half Windsor scored a rather scruffy try after a mix up in the Maidenhead in-goal area and added to it a few minutes later with a try in the corner. By now it was Maidenhead who were applying pressure and a simple backs move saw Ed Poulding score his third try under the posts to make it 24 – 22 to Maidenhead with less than 10 minutes to go. But it was now all pressure from Windsor and just before the final whistle they went over to snatch the win 29 – 14. Overall a good performance to round off the season and leave Maidenhead comfortably mid-table.

After three seasons your reporter has no more lead in his pencil, it is worn down to a stump and his sharpener is broken. Having watched the thirds for 34 matches and seen parts of Berks, Bucks, Oxon and Hampshire that he didn’t know existed, his loyalty has never been in question even when visiting Slough in driving rain. Best player, probably Slade for his all round game, best win 92 - 3, best club facilities here at Maidenhead, worst club Farnham who have been disbanded by the RFU and quite right too.

The playing record over the 34 matches makes interesting reading as follows:

Played 34, Won 22, Drawn 2, Lost 10, Points for 1008, against 429.

Written by David ‘The Pencil’ Anthony.

 
(Match statistics)