Sat 24 Feb 2024, 14:15
Games between Ramsey and Vagabonds never fail to disappoint and this one didn’t either, apart from the 10-10 final scoreline which pleased neither side.
As the game got underway it quickly became obvious that Vagabonds had a dominant set piece and the Ramsey scrummage was immediately under pressure. Despite this, an attacking scrum inside the Vagas twenty two gave Ramsey the opening score after just three minutes. Number eight Matt Meechan and scrum half Nathan Robson managed to dig the ball out of a retreating scrum. Robson opted for a blind side dart and he found Ramsey wing Danny Howard in space on the left. Howard’s pace beat the first tackler, his step the second and he managed to wriggle clear of the third to score. Brandon Atchison’s conversion attempt hit the left hand upright.
With ten minutes on the clock, Ramsey doubled their lead. Vagas punted the ball downfield to relieve pressure. It was fielded by Ramsey full back Joey Callow and he counterattacked immediately. Callow’s angled run sliced through the Vagabonds defence and he angled for the left hand touchline where Danny Howard was waiting. Callow’s pass found Howard just as he hit full pace and he ran around the Vagas defence for his second.
Vagabonds then parked the proverbial bus. Ramsey still enjoyed possession and territory but were unable to convert any further chances and as half time approached Vagas began to claw themselves upfield. Their drive ended in a turnover but they continued to apply pressure on Ramsey who struggled to clear from inside their own twenty two and obligingly coughed up a penalty. With the final kick of the first half Cam Findlay stroked the ball over to leave the Ramsey lead at 10-3.
Vagas coach Franzy Germishuys worked his magic in the half time break and Vagas started the second half with more possession and more territory. Crucially, they kept the ball well away from Ramsey’s potent back line. The decisive moment came midway through the second half. Josh Modin had made good yardage down the right wing and into Ramsey’s red zone. Vagas recycled and after a Jed Snell crash was thwarted, prop Mitch Wells smashed through the Ramsey line to score. Cam Findlay added the extras to level the score at 10-10.
The final twenty minutes was fast and furious as both sides looked for the decisive score but try as they might, nobody troubled the scoreboard. Ramsey had two late penalties either of which would’ve given them the game but Nathan Robson’s two kicks drifted wide. When referee Daryl Richards blew for full time both sides were left to rue missed opportunities which could’ve given them full points.
As the game got underway it quickly became obvious that Vagabonds had a dominant set piece and the Ramsey scrummage was immediately under pressure. Despite this, an attacking scrum inside the Vagas twenty two gave Ramsey the opening score after just three minutes. Number eight Matt Meechan and scrum half Nathan Robson managed to dig the ball out of a retreating scrum. Robson opted for a blind side dart and he found Ramsey wing Danny Howard in space on the left. Howard’s pace beat the first tackler, his step the second and he managed to wriggle clear of the third to score. Brandon Atchison’s conversion attempt hit the left hand upright.
With ten minutes on the clock, Ramsey doubled their lead. Vagas punted the ball downfield to relieve pressure. It was fielded by Ramsey full back Joey Callow and he counterattacked immediately. Callow’s angled run sliced through the Vagabonds defence and he angled for the left hand touchline where Danny Howard was waiting. Callow’s pass found Howard just as he hit full pace and he ran around the Vagas defence for his second.
Vagabonds then parked the proverbial bus. Ramsey still enjoyed possession and territory but were unable to convert any further chances and as half time approached Vagas began to claw themselves upfield. Their drive ended in a turnover but they continued to apply pressure on Ramsey who struggled to clear from inside their own twenty two and obligingly coughed up a penalty. With the final kick of the first half Cam Findlay stroked the ball over to leave the Ramsey lead at 10-3.
Vagas coach Franzy Germishuys worked his magic in the half time break and Vagas started the second half with more possession and more territory. Crucially, they kept the ball well away from Ramsey’s potent back line. The decisive moment came midway through the second half. Josh Modin had made good yardage down the right wing and into Ramsey’s red zone. Vagas recycled and after a Jed Snell crash was thwarted, prop Mitch Wells smashed through the Ramsey line to score. Cam Findlay added the extras to level the score at 10-10.
The final twenty minutes was fast and furious as both sides looked for the decisive score but try as they might, nobody troubled the scoreboard. Ramsey had two late penalties either of which would’ve given them the game but Nathan Robson’s two kicks drifted wide. When referee Daryl Richards blew for full time both sides were left to rue missed opportunities which could’ve given them full points.
