Injury-hit Bracknell bounce back

Published 16 Mar 2010 10:17 0 Comments

BRACKNELL RFC head coach Ken Hopkins was delighted with the manner of his makeshift side's 28-12 win over Tring last Saturday.

A mini injury crisis forced the Lily Hill Park boys to shuffle their pack for the visit of the National Three London strugglers.

This saw a number of players given run-outs in unfamiliar positions, but they dug deep and ran in two tries in each half to record a bonus-point win.

Hopkins said: "We were badly affected by injuries.

"Matt Brambley, who is a second row, had to play out of position at open-side flanker.

"Stuart Mackay had to play at full-back, where he hasn't played before, and young Luke Carter, who has played for us at scrum half this season, was on the wing.

"Kenny Barry and Adam Kelmsley also came back in for their first starts in some time.

"Considering all of that we did pretty well. If we were to be ultra critical I would say we should have scored more tries. But we played really well in patches and scored some really good tries."

Bracknell missed several early chances to go in front and were pegged back on 31 minutes when Tring scored a converted try.

The hosts did not panic, though, and Mackay and winger Kevin Mckenzie scored tries before the break to put Bracknell in charge.

Hopkins said: "We created a couple of really good try scoring opportunities in the first five minutes but we didn't take them. Then towards the end of the first half they scored a try and it was very much looking like we would be going in at halftime behind.

"But we got our act together and scored two good tries and rather than being 7-0 down, were all of a sudden 14-7 up. I think that was the turning point ."

After the break Carter made the most of his start on the wing by running in the third try, before Mckenzie grabbed his second of the match to take his tally for the season up to 13.

Hopkins reserved particular praise for skipper Ben Nowak, left, who led by example.

He said: "Ben kicked all four conversions and was voted man of the match. He had a really good game and did everything well.

"He did all the basic chores, all the nitty gritty."

Next up for Bracknell is another home game against third-bottom Sutton & Epsom, before next Tuesday's trip to Gensians for their floodlit Berkshire Cup semi-final.

Hopkins said: "Sutton & Epsom are in the lower reaches of the table and we are at home so we will be expected to beat them. And then we have the Berkshire Cup game. When it gets to this stage of the season the routine can get a bit repetitive - training Tuesday and Thursday for a match on Saturday.

"So having a floodlit game on Tuesday night is something a bit different and I'm sure the players are looking forward to it."

BRACKNELL: Mackay, Carter, Jones, Nowak, Mckenzie, Manupenu, Ap Dafydd, Kelmsley, Surman, Mirza, Barry, Borcherds, Sparks, Brambley, Maybury. Replacements: Bailey, Hoskins, Taufa.

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