The Boars started the warm up and it couldn't have went any worse!! In a lineout drill Rob Purvis popped his shoulder out and couldn't continue then in the next phase Aiden 'injury prone' Towers picked up another injury - Broken finger which also put him out of the tie!!

Whilst the Boars finished the warm up hitting some pads with Capt. Rich Lydiatt - Manager Gary Shepherd was calling in the reinforcements - Big Rob Middlemass agreed to be a last minute stand in - team of week for commitment and a great game!

The game started with Rhyton kicking into the wind and Houghton attacking the club house, the kick off is knocked on by Black 6 from the resulting scrum the sneaky Rhyton 10 tries a chip and chase but Paul Ridley is on hand to thwart the play. Rhyton have a lot of the ball and are moving forward slowly against a strong Boars defence.

Good tackle by Buddha on the 5 metre line - he's not getting up.........the sideline think he's dead - that's what the match notes say anyway.......Buddha has to be replaced on 5 minutes with a nasty gash next to his eye - hospital job - Rob Middlemass on. From the scrum Rhyton attack to the right, the backs make some excellent tackles, the forwards take the ball on for Rhyton - great hit by big Rob Sewell, holds the ball up - Houghton scrum but hang on hen the maul hit the deck Rob took an injury to his knee - he's out too, Boars down two big ball carriers after 6 minutes!! big changes needed as not many forwards on the bench - Jordan comes on to wing and the Hobbit-Spoors moves to flanker!!

From the Boars hard hitting defence they are given a penalty just outside their own 22 - Paul Ridley takes it quickly and moves the ball to Dan Haddock who runs 10-20-30-40 metres and offloads to Jordan who scores in the corner - 5-0 Boars no conversion.

From the kick off the new flanker Hobbity McHobbitspoors knocks on due to the size of his tiny hands. Rhyton put a lot of phases together with the Boars defence holding them out but wave after wave kept coming, from a Crowther turn over the ball is passed back to Ridley who spills the ball over the dead ball line - scrum to Rhyton - DOTD moment. Finally they break the line and score next to the posts which is converted 5 - 7.

The Boars go back on the attack, forwards making good runs through Black 6, Rob M, Rich and Crowther - the backs look very dangerous and are making excellent yards through Lee B, Dan H and Jordan, its all Boars now and Rhyton are feeling the pressure with a scrum just inside their 22, they move the ball to the full back who looks to kick - Shepherd rolling back the years gets the charge down and follows the ball back towards the Rhyton line, pick it and drops over the line to make it 10 - 7 no conversion.

The Boars are immediately on the back foot and look to clear time and time again through Paul Ridley who has had a good half with the boot.

Gowland makes a break with two defenders in front of him and four Boars backs to his left - making a HUGE overlap he tucks the ball under his arm instead of shipping it away but then attempts to hand off with the same hand he is holding the ball in!! DOTD moment!!

Lee B ever the big hitter gives yet another penalty away this season for a high tackle - don't change Lee we love it!!

Half time - 10-7 to the Boars.
The lads doing the notes have interviewed Dave and Keith who have both said Sheppy is having a good game and would be their MOTM.

Second half starts

Lots of scrums to start the second half - from one of the Scrums Lee B makes a powerful run but their number 6 makes a big hit on him - arguably their best player.

Rhyton back on the attack after the turn over and put some phases together but Glen Crowther who was all over in the first half continues to turn ball over to frustrate the Rhyton pack. Houghton back on the attack with some forward drives which eventually makes its way towards the touchline, in a moment of typical brilliance and stupidity Black 6 picks and goes blind when the blindside is a full yard wide, obviously he runs straight into touch!! you can imagine the delight of the rest of the team!! DOTD moment.

Scrum to the Boars in the Rhyton 22, backs take the ball on through Ridley, Lee B and Dan H but the Rhyton tackling and defence holds tight, Ridley uses some forwards off him o punch the ball up but the defence holds, the ball is eventually moved to Ben King who is outnumbered by defenders with only Jordan outside of him for support, he steps one and draws in another two and pops it out to Jordan who has a lot to do still and beats the last defenders on the outside to score his second try of the day 15 - 7 - the blind one footed conversion taker is brought on rom the special teams bench and misses the conversion again!!!

Rhyton again come straight back at the Boars who's defence has been solid all game, they are putting some good phases together and their big ball carrying forward are making good ground - they eventually break the Boars line and a Rhyton player crosses the line with 10 minutes left of the game to make it 15 - 14 as their kicking has both legs and the use of his sight!!

The next 10 minutes are Rhyton trying to bully the Boars pack but Crowther is having non of it and makes two or three big hits on their no. 8 and backed up by Cpat. Rich, Rob M, Black 6, Sheppy, Ashy and Ralf the Rhyton pack are not making enough ground they move it the backs but Ridley, Lee B, Carl Stokoe, Dan H, Kingy and Jordan are hitting all their tackles and frustrating the Rhyton team.

In this Last 10 minutes their must have been a good 12 - 15 scrums and the old heads in the front row Paul Teare and Neil McKnight hold their own and manage the scrums very very well, after sustained pressure from Rhyton the ball is eventually put out of play after the 80th Minute which puts the Boars into the Semi final of the cup - #UTB

FT - 15 - 14

MOTM - Glenn Crowther
DOTD - Paul Ridley

Houghton Rugby Club

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