We were delighted to welcome the committee from Roundhegians to our annual Volunteer’s Appreciation Lunch. Some 30 plus people turned up and tucked in to pie and chips with treacle sponge for desert, a great start to the afternoon.

Roundhegians arrived at Grange Park with a solid win under their belts the previous game and perhaps with a renewed sense of belief in their abilities. Were they going to spoil the party? They certainly started the brighter and quicker, pinning Wetherby back in to their own half until the pressure told and they were awarded a penalty to take them in to an early 3 point lead.

And so the game continued for the first 10 minutes until Will Blakey managed a critical turnover in the ruck that saw quick ball out to Sam Little. Turning on the afterburners he rounded all but the last man, seeing Goodall on his wing but the move fizzled out.

Wetherby recovered the possession with some industrious scrummaging by Louis Cox-Rawnsley and Bradley Mason and Wetherby made good ground up the pitch with George Gilbert smashing through the Hegians defence. Gradually the space opened up on the wing and Jack Kaye showed us why he was the featured player in the program with a powerful finish to storm over for his first try. Conversion missed. 5-3.

It wasn’t to be the last time “The big dog” found his way over the whitewash. Wetherby played the phases out of their half and with possession in the middle of the pitch, Harry Kaye sent the beautiful kick over the Hegians defence gifting his brother his second try of the game with another good finish. Charlie Yates’ conversion from the touch line frustratingly bounced back off the post. 10-3.

With Wetherby starting to dominate, the backs enjoyed plenty of time with ball in hand. Yates, Myles Oates and Jonny Day all combining effectively to bring the ball out of the Wetherby half. Barney Youlden’s ability to read the game meant that he was in the right place, when needed in defence or attack.

The supporters favourite moment of the game came when skipper Steve Hoather decided that enough was enough and from the middle of the pitch, crafted a perfect kick in to touch 5m from the Hegians tryline. As it trundled towards its inevitable position Hoather watched on, no attempt to follow the kick – why would he? It was perfect. And from the subsequent line out he finished off the move with a powerful carry, dotting down for Wetherby’s 3d try. 17-3 and half time.

The three supersubs were brought on at half time, Wetherby being fortunate to be able to bring on players of the calibre of Evan Woodworth, Rob Adair and Alex Parrish. With some cultivated skills from Day, Wetherby were on the attack again. Yates engineered an opening and Oates found himself in space. Lacking his searing pace of yesteryear he drew two players and left a gaping opening for Harry Kaye to run through who then set up Woodworth who juggled the ball over the line for the 5th try. Yates made no mistake with the conversion. 24-3.

Hegians were gallant opposition but the experience of Elliott Reid and James Greenwood in the engine room meant the task was relentless and yet again Day popped up with the ball in space. With a Hegians player in agony after an entirely legal tackle by Hoather, Oates found space in a congested midfield and with Day starting the move, he continued his run to finish it with the final Wetherby try of the afternoon. 31-3.

With 15 to go the game got increasingly scrappy and Wetherby’s indiscipline saw them reduced to 13. As the game headed towards full time Hegians broke through the splintered Wetherby defence and looked destined to score before Parrish pulled off a try saving tap tackle that enabled Wetherby to get back in defence. Wetherby defended manfully but y he 15 men of Hegians were too much and they scored their only try of the day with the last play of the game. 31-10.