Watkins fires Bletchley to nail-biting victory over Reading

Bletchley bounced back to winning ways as they claimed a nail-biter against Reading on Saturday, winning 27-25 at Manor Fields.

After a tough defeat last weekend against Reading Abbey, Bletchley welcomed back some key first-teamers for the clash, and once Bletchley found their rhythm, their attack looked promising. Hard, direct running from the backs created space, leading to tries from Callum Hudson and Ollie Comery, giving Bletchley an early lift.

However, both teams were evenly matched in the first half, with each side making errors that limited scoring opportunities. At halftime, it was the visitors who held a narrow lead, 13-10.

Bletchley came out with renewed energy in the second half, but they struggled to convert their pressure into points. Reading capitalized on this, extending their lead through patient play. However, Bletchley’s captain, Hugo Govett, wasn’t ready to concede defeat. In a brilliant display of leadership, Govett crossed the line twice to bring his team back into contention.

Just as Bletchley seemed poised for a comeback, a chaotic ten minute spell almost cost them the match. Two yellow cards were followed by a red card for prop Joshua Spurles, who was sent off for an illegal tackle. With just 13 men on the field and a two-point deficit, Bletchley faced an uphill battle in the final moments.

Despite the numerical disadvantage, Bletchley showed immense character. With only minutes remaining, they worked their way into Reading’s half, where pressure at the breakdown resulted in a crucial penalty against the visitors. Vice-captain Cameron Watkins stepped up to take the pressure-filled, match-winning kick. His effort sailed cleanly through the posts, securing a dramatic 27-25 bonus point victory for Bletchley.

Watkins’ composed performance earned him the “TukTukThai” Man of the Match award.

After the match, forwards coach Darron Moore acknowledged the team’s resilience, saying: “It was better than last week but still wasn’t great. I’m happy with the win and the guts the lads showed, so we’ll take that moving into next week.”

Bletchley 2nds fall short in tough derby defeat

A break in the weather led to a pleasant afternoon for the much-anticipated local derby between Bletchley 2nds and Milton Keynes 2nds, with a solid crowd gathering to witness the action.

The game kicked off with big hits from both sides, and early on, it was clear that Milton Keynes (MK) would control the breakdowns, allowing them to play attacking rugby with ball in hand.

Milton Keynes opened the scoring with a powerful drive over the line, claiming the first try and converting to take a seven-point lead. However, Bletchley responded quickly, with prop Tom Goy charging over the MK line. Fly-half Kyle Gibbings calmly added the extra two points to level the match at 7-7.

As the first half progressed, MK strung together a few well-worked phases, eventually finding space out wide to cross the Bletchley line again. They went into half-time with a 14-7 lead.

The second half saw Bletchley hampered by a series of injuries, forcing them to reshuffle their line-up, including moving members of the back row into the backline. Milton Keynes capitalized on Bletchley’s disruption, maintaining dominance and scoring two more tries. Their strong performance in the second half secured a 28-7 victory.

Despite the loss, Bletchley’s Kyle Gibbings earned “The Grange” Man of the Match honours for his outstanding contribution, especially his composure under pressure and leadership on the field.