Match reports - Week 3, September 21st

Birmingham Mail on Mose v Bishops Stortford.

Funny old match - in many ways a game of three thirds, if not four quarters.

First 20 mins BS made all the running and played some lovely rugby, second 20 was all Mose really as we pulled up to them, pulled alongside, then pulled clear ahead into the break.

Second half was more attritional on both sides, not helped by some rank indiscipline (3 yellows) which saw us down to 14 men for a long period, and 13 for about 5 minutes. That was the context which let BS back into contention I think. When they finally took the lead again I really felt that Mose had thrown away a winning position - thankfully BS then gave away a penalty very quickly which saw us get our noses just ahead again. Overall 5-2 felt like a fair result (should have been 5-0 but hopefully letting them back within 7 points and giving them a try BP as well is wake-up call enough on the fact that you just can't get carried away in front of the ref....). 

Could so easily have been 2-5 but (despite having put ourselves in the position of being shorthanded) we functioned relatively well 1-2 men down and ended up getting away with a match that shouldn't have been in doubt. Stortford's match report shows obvious disappointment, but I can't help but agree with their sentiment that they're not really sure whether when the season's gone on a bit 2 points away at Moseley might look like a good result or a poor one. FWIW BS looked good to me, and will win more than they lose this season I reckon. They'd have buried the Moseley of last season playing like they did on Saturday.

If we can sort out the little niggling things, then I think we might actually be dangerous. Certainly the inability to take the ball to ground away at Rams just wasn't there this week. This week, it was discipline. 

Onwards and upwards, next stop Cinderford.