Old Mids Finally Start To Click With 94 Point Demolition Of Old Paulines

The Old Mids continued to improve with a committed if not quite polished performance against Old Paulines which saw them win 94 - 0 putting them securely in 2nd place in the league.

Old Mids consolidated their  position in the second promotion place with a riot of scores against the unfortunate Paulines.  When the sides met in November Mids won but only by seven points, so that the measure of their improvement can be seen from this score.  After some even exchanges early on Mids took the lead when a flowing movement saw winger Ben Murphy tackled just short.  From the ensuing rucks Mids twice drove over the line but were held up by excellent defence.  The pressure told, however, and the half backs combined well to put centre Andy Dean in by the posts.   Dan Crouch converted  and the fly half was involved again four minutes later when his beautifully flighted penalty kick came back off an upright.  The ball was well gathered by prop Will Flint who fed Dean  for a strong burst through the middle and when the ball was recycled from the ruck it was spun right for winger Rowan Newman to touch down.  Full back Rhys Millar then completed one of his mazy runs from half way to score. Another try followed when Dean won a turnover and the marauding Russell Jones sped down the pitch before giving an outrageous reverse pass.  Again the ball was spun right and Newman was on hand to score his second. 

The attacks kept coming and Paulines did well to hold out after a scintillating break by Crouch gave Dean another chance which was denied by an excellent covering tackle.  The visitors continued to defend well and even won a turnover on their own line against massive odds only for a careless clearance to be picked up by Mids to give scrum half James Grice an opportunity to show his strength in forcing himself through several bodies for the try.  Crouch added the points and five minutes later did the same for Millar’s second try after more good work by Dean.  Hooker Adam Stammers now showed his pace and strength to force his way over and just before half time Dean stormed through the middle and, a la Bastareaud, unloaded in the tackle to flanker James Macleod for another touchdown. Both tries were converted by Crouch to leave the score at the break 52 – 0.

The second half continued the rout with a brace of tries from James Orchard who replaced Dean in the centre, a third from Millar, a second from Grice, a third from Newman and one from Jones.  Crouch converted all to complete the misery for Paulines who had nothing go right for them all afternoon.  To their credit they had good passages of linked play and were the stronger in the scrum.  They did spend some time on the home line and gallantly chose to run the ball when they could have taken points from penalties.

1.  Flint
2. Stammers
3. Jones R
4. Higgins
5. Ikay
6. Munro
7. Macleod
8. Butterworth
9. Grice
10. Crouch
11. Murphy B
    
12. Matthews
13. Dean A
14. Newman
15. Millar
16. Pennington
17. Dean M (For Stammers 65)
    
18. Orchard (For Dean A 40)

Director Of Rugby - Paul Hodges

Physio - Helen Dean

Coach - Mick Jones

Manager - Mark Dean