Stafford RUFC mixed ability team, the Marvels, welcomed a familiar opposition to the County Ground as Derby Bucks crossed the county line for the afternoon. The two teams knew each other very well courtesy of several encounters which had taken place over the years. The experienced visitors carried the bragging rights with them as they had taken the most victories against the always evolving home team.

Derby started with their usual enthusiasm and despite some scrambling defence, crossed the line for the first try of the afternoon. The Marvels were barking instructions across the pitch and played some good rugby to take the play away from the visitors. Navigating their way deep into opposition territory, the Blackberry Lane XV spotted the line and Matt Powell powered over for a try, converted by Zac Pressland. There were some punishing hits going in across the field followed by lung busting running rugby as both sides sought out an opening. It took a scything incursion from the Marvels to rip open the Derby defence and Reuben Sutton tore away for a try, which he then converted. With the first twenty minutes over the teams sucked in a quick break before recommencing the fray. Maintaining the pace, it was all Stafford as they toggled between meaty forward carries and sweeping running plays. Launching the ball up through the boot the chasing home side benefited from a cruel bounce and powered towards the opposition line. The visitors were determined not to let anything past and put up an impressive rolling defensive wall. It took some elusive running from Nick Haines to escape the grasping fingers for a try. This galvanised the visiting Derby XV who regrouped and started to create some space of their own. The Marvels fought hard but in a crippling period couldn’t keep out three visiting tries to give the Bucks a slender lead. With the minutes drifting away, Stafford found their second breathe and clicked back into an attacking tempo. Slick hands moved the ball around before Nick Haines burst through for his second of the afternoon, converted by Simon Lewis. The Marvels went into half time leading 26 – 22 but in a finely balanced game which still belonged to anybody.

With the start of the third twenty-minute period both teams were calling on their benches to give some tired legs respite. Derby still looked slightly fresher and were just edging the space when going forward. The Marvels wouldn’t lie down, snuffing out several promising phases and bundling others into a welcoming touch. The visitors had found their rhythm and stretched the battling home side until crisp passes carried the ball over for a try. Stafford were communicating loudly and shaking themselves into a new shape. A surge by the forwards left bodies strewn across the pitch and opened up a broken field for the onrushing backs to pour into. Derby made a couple of devastating saves but couldn’t prevent Steve Fairhurst from crossing for a well earned try. The play was frantic as tired bodies started to fall off some encounters and both sides grasped opportunities. It was left to Derby to close off this twenty minute period with a try to build a narrow five-point lead. Heading into the final twenty it was anybody’s game but the visitors were starting to play the more consistent rugby. As fatigue took hold the Stafford engine started to falter and they had to dig in deeply to endure everything being thrown at them. In an exhausting display they wrested away the momentum and the game became rooted around the halfway line. Going into the final five minutes it looked like the match was all but over, nobody could get any significant purchase to threaten the other. The Marvels somehow dragged some energy from the depths of their hearts and with a herculean effort strung together some running phases. Derby responded strongly, but fingertips allowed Nick Haines to escape and cruising across the line touched down for the try to level the scores. Up stepped the forever captain Simon Lewis, whose ice-cold boot propelled the ball between the posts for a vital two points to give the narrowest of wins. The clubhouse end erupted as the Marvels recorded a rare victory against the travelling Derby Bucks.

Next Marvels Match: Saturday 16th November vs Bolton Buccaneers, Away. K.O. 14:15.