Mighty Misfits down British Aerospace!

The game that nearly wasn’t… was an absolute must win for the Misfits to stay in the mix for the top 3 spots in the league. The mid-week prep was disrupted, with the game off and then back on as players were called up for the 1st XV and Wanderers alongside the injury lists across the club ravaging selection. A final rallying call from management and players did the trick; it was game on.

BAC touched down at Station Road with a spring in their step, expecting a weakened home side and started strong. Despite a spirited defence, the visitors found a man over to dot down in the corner on 5 mins. The following 5 mins saw Clifton front up to a barrage of pick and go’s and crash balls, as BAC’s ex-premiership player Luke Eves and co. bashed on the door, attempting to break the line. The defence held firm and with the first structured phases of possession the lavender and blacks stretched the BAC back line to breaking point. Cutting through with ease and setting up a ruck metres from the line, Clifton Centre Pomphrey (utilising his extra few KGs) hit a short pop to drive over and equalise.

The home pack had a hard time at the set piece, as the BAC scrum dominated, providing an important source of possession and pressure. Fantastic first up hits from home Hooker Callum Dovell, flanker Lucas Spindler and Pomphrey as well as a collective scramble defence kept the score line static until a well worked try put BAC ahead on 25 mins.

As the half drew towards a close, Clifton’s pace and use of the wide pitch started to make the heavier visiting pack blow and the game started to open up with several opportunities. With a minute left on the clock the Misfits hit back and centre Tom Rose certainly rose to the occasion crossing the whitewash, leaving fly-half Will Lang the kick to bring the game back to all square at the break. Converted, HT 12-12.

No hair dryer treatment from management at half-time, just some motivational words and key work-ons required.

Lungs and legs revitalised, BAC started as they did in the first half, making full use of their forward dominance, with several catch and drives and strong scrummages. Pressure told as the visitors were first notch up a score on 52 mins, but failing with the conversion. After a series of penalties at the breakdown and scrum, to add more pressure, Spindler saw yellow and was sent to the bin for cynical foul play. Not to dwell on this, Clifton were back on the attack and quickly hit back with a try from debutant full-back Liam McGrath and conversion from Lang, putting the home side on top for the first time in the game.

The momentum swung and confidence grew, as the pace was too much for the visiting team. Gaps appeared and even with a man down, possession and territory tipped in favour of the Misfits. With more ball came more phases and strong carries from the pack narrowed the opposition ‘D’. Exploiting this with great hands across the backline, saw Pomphrey again cross over for his second and stretching the Clifton lead to 24-17.

With Clifton on the up, the noisy BAC supporters were silenced (along with their ’Rambo’ move which was thwarted time and time again) and with changes to the front row the pack started to become more competitive and hold their own. Earning a penalty and the following kick to the corner, the pack had a big call to make. Be bold… it’s the Clifton way. Having struggled a bit with changes in personnel and taking everything off the top to that point, the call went up for a catch and drive. Arrows fired, ball secured, a lot of grunting and groaning and boom! Try for another debutant Ben Lang to not only stretch out the lead, but also showing his brother how it’s done.

Not to capitulate, BAC threw everything into the mix and Clifton had to defend attack after attack. Further pressure at the scrum and a string of penalties going the way of the visitors led the ref with no option but to send prop Kinny Qumar to the bin. Some debate followed as non-contested scrums were considered, no chance – ‘we’ll see it out and juggle as best we can’ said Clifton. Backs volunteered for the back row (thinking they had some kind of clue about what to do). Some might say they missed their calling!

Somehow a scrum was won, and the home side turned defence to attack with a break down the right. Unlucky not to score, the ball was recycled quickly and spread wide left, second-row Charlie Shaw finding himself in acres of space with a man over. The try was surely a walk-in, simple draw and give and stroll over. Unfortunately, not that simple. Pin pulled, hand grenade over the top, winger Leon Harris fumbled, game sealing try gone begging!

With last ditch efforts from the visitors and desperate defence, a man down, the home side were in no mood to hand BAC a late try. Lungs busting and sore bodies were put to one side as Clifton held out for a huge win against the league leaders 29-17.

BAC
Tries: 3
Conversions: 1

CLIFTON
Tries: Pomphrey (2), Rose, L McGrath, B Lang
Conversions: Lang W (2)

Man of the Match: Graham Hardy