Old Cryptians Go Down In Thriller

Bream 17-15 Old Cryptians

On a sunny day in the Forest Of Dean Bream and Old Cryptians met in the
first round proper of the Powergen Junior Vase. Both teams had good wins in the preliminaries and were poisitive going into the game.

The early exchanges were very even with the game concentrated around the
middle third. Bream used the kicking game to their advantage while Cryptians
tried to run what little good quality ball came their way and it soon became
clear that a low scoring game between two contrasting styles was in store.

A penalty for either side, Cryptians' coming from Fly Half Marc Blackford
and Bream's from their full back had the sides deadlocked midway through the
first half. Cryptians continued to run the ball where possible and it was
from a thwarted attempt to get the ball wide that Bream were able to
penetrate. An interception saw them break for the line and only excellent
defence meant that the home team came away with just three points. This made
the score 6-3 and it remained this way until half time.

The second half saw the away team continuously starved of possession and
Bream attacking through their strong forward orientated style. They scored
only one try and a penalty, however, after several elongated periods in the
Cryptians 22. This made the score 14-3 and it looked like the home team
would go on to win comfortably.

Only then did Cryptians stirr. Suddenly the ball started to come their way
after Bream were reduced to 14 following a scuffle at a ruck. It took a
moment of individual brilliance to give Cryptians the belief that they could
pull back into the game. A midfield move fixed the defence before good hands
from Kieran Mchugh put winger Simon Mayo in space. Mayo went flying down the
wing showing strength and agility to step out of and break several tackles
and score in the corner. It was a magnificent try which pulled Cryptians to
within a score, and now they new that they could break from deep.

Shortly after the restart scrappy found its way into the hands of the Dean
'the Dancer' Johnson and he duly obliged, stepping his way through several
tackles in typical style before offloading to James Woollin in support who
scored out wide. Blackford stepped up and landed a difficult conversion to
put Cryptians ahead for the first time with only minutes remaining.

With time out, however, Bream were awarded a penalty following a ruck and
their full back stepped up to devastate the visitors who thought they had
snuck a victory from the jaws of defeat. The referee blew the final whistle
and the final score was 17-15.

This game had everything and showed up the romance and tragedy of cup rugby.
Cryptians went from elation to devastation in one kick but are looking
forward to the two league encounters between the two sides.