Bletchley 'got away with one' after stuttering win over Wallingford

Bletchley secured a hard-fought 38-34 victory over Wallingford, but it was far from a polished performance.

After several weeks of weather disruptions and limited training, Bletchley looked rusty, with defensive lapses and errors plaguing both sides throughout the game.

Despite recent floods, the pitch was in superb condition, the sun was shining, and the newly opened pitch-side bar, “The Ankle Tap,” created a lively atmosphere. However, the action on the field was anything but smooth, with both teams struggling to find their rhythm.

Wallingford started stronger, stringing together a few impressive moves that put them in the lead early on. By half-time, it was evident that Bletchley needed to cut out their mistakes and find the grit that had served them well in previous weeks.

The turning point came in the second half with the towering presence of 6’4” winger Kai Fagan, who was a constant threat to Wallingford. Fagan’s powerful runs through the middle and relentless work rate resulted in two tries, helping Bletchley claw their way back into the contest.

With just minutes remaining, Wallingford crossed the line for what they believed was the winning try. However, Bletchley refused to give in. In a dramatic final sequence, they worked the ball to within 19 meters of the Wallingford line.

Under intense pressure, Wallingford conceded a penalty. Captain Hugo Govett, instead of feeding his forwards, made a quick tap and powered through the defence, diving over the try line to score the match-winning try in the dying seconds.

After the match, head coach Paul Allen admitted his side had been fortunate to come away with the win: “To be honest, we got away with one. Wallingford were better today, and at times our defence was non-existent. We were rightly punished. I think we all feel we are better than that performance and are very thankful for the bonus-point win.”

Bletchley 2nds beaten by champions

Bletchley 2nd faced a tough challenge as they travelled to Cowper’s Lane to take on last season’s league champions, Sharnbrook.

The match started with an early blow for Bletchley as Sharnbrook capitalized on a driving maul, breaking down the blindside to open the scoring.

Despite the early setback, Bletchley responded with determination. Aggressive carries from Ben Goodman and Alex Easton punched holes in the Sharnbrook defence, setting up good field position for the visitors.

Bletchley’s forwards worked hard, edging closer to the line before Liam Lamberton seized his chance, crashing over for a try with a well-timed pick-and-go. Kyle Gibbings added the conversion to bring Bletchley back into the game.

Sharnbrook, however, showed their class, working the ball through the hands to score a couple of tries before halftime. But Bletchley struck again through Eoin Tomlinson, who made a powerful break to cross the line, bringing the halftime score to 24-12 in favour of Sharnbrook.

In the second-half, injuries began to take their toll on Bletchley, and the defending champions took full advantage. With well-executed plays and a series of tries scored in the corners, Sharnbrook stretched their lead and secured a dominant victory.

The final score stood at 48-12 to Sharnbrook, with Bletchley’s effort falling short despite moments of promise.