Sat 20 Dec 2025, 14:15
Maybe your travelling fans calling Midlands Counties 3 East North (South North) a ‘Mickey Mouse’ league is justified when you have taken 48 league points from a possible 50. Maybe you can forgive them for a touch of saltiness, having been ‘relegated’ from the level above through league restructuring rather than traditional relegation. Does feel a bit odd when you’re 15-0 down after 15 minutes though.
The way the fixtures have landed the Vikings have had lots of 1st vs 2nd, 2nd vs 3rd etc. fixtures this season – all of them have been belters. The latest was two sides battling out for Christmas Number 1, with some added spice of St Andrews defending their undefeated league campaign to date. Their arrival nearly two hours before kick off felt a trademark of a side ready to do business.
It was perfect availability for the biggest game of the season; absences in the backline in particular requiring the deck to be shuffled. It was one of these changes, Callum Swift to the Wing, which created the platform for the first attack. First Swift, who had been deployed on the Back and Second Rows this season, won a turnover to establish field position. A couple of phases later he took a short ball from Fly Half Ross Spencer to make a break into the St Andrews 22. A penalty conceded at the breakdown and it was 3-0 to the Vikings through the boot of Centre, usual Back Row, Dave Maguire.
Things continued to go well. Excellent clearance kicking from Scrum Half Josh Freer & Full Back Jack Chantrell put St Andrews back three under a lot of pressure. First their winger ran straight into Prop Steve Weston (not recommended), then the ball was spilled creating field position. From a line out the ball was carried into the midfield. Then, flash back to the short side and Back Rows Ash Rideout, Adam Mayes and Dave Collison would combine for the latter to dot down. Sadly this would be Dave’s last action as knee trouble would force him to be replaced by Dave Tate, taking up a position in the Second rather than Front Row.
60 seconds later and the Vikings were 15-0 ahead. Another St Andrews error gave Sileby scrum possession inside the opposition’s 22. Outside Centre Dan Clarke held their Centres long enough for Maguire to release Chantrell. He in turn gave Greenbury the opportunity to run at a corner flagging defence. He obliged by beating two and scoring.
This seemed to wake St Andrews up a bit. The next 15 minutes were theirs, testing the Sileby defence which withheld barrages well. However, ill-discipline was costing metres and possession, allowing the away team to reach 10 meters out. Another penalty and it was a yellow card for Swift. St Andrews went to the corner, retained the line out and then drove over for their first score. 15-5. They would carry this momentum through the rest of the half, with the away team edging territory and possession. Off first phase their Full Back found a soft shoulder and broke, only to then concede the penalty for side entry after an excellent one on one tackle by Chantrell. The biggest test was in the final couple of minutes, with St Andrews hammering away at the line. Critical interventions by Second Rows George Jones & Tate prevented St Andrews from scoring close quarters. Then when they went wide Swift saw them their wide players into touch to see out the half.
The second half was back and forth. Both sides were able to enter their opponents 22 on several occasions, only for inaccuracy and strong open play defence to stem the tide. However, Sileby were starting to turn the screw at set piece and in the kicking game, fundamentals which have been focused on during the first half of the season. First an excellent kick chase from Greenbury and Chantrell led to a Nichols turnover and field position. With a scrum led by Front Rowers Weston, David Startin and James Thompson starting to march forward Freer and Mayes combined to force their opposition counterparts over their own line. The resulting contest was a pushover, with Freer providing the finishing touch. 20-5 with about 20 minutes to go.
The remainder of the half was largely the Vikings defending, though this was only a few phases within the 22. St Andrews were becoming increasingly desperate, increasing the tempo by taking quick tap penalties rather than seeking territory. When breaks were made resolute defence prevented scores; one memorable set involved replacement Hooker Kian Wright levelling their Fly Half, Greenbury dumping their 13 and then Nichols and Maguire bundling 15 into touch for a turnover. Further up the pitch a turnover from Rideout created an opportunity for the fourth try bonus point, but to no avail as the resulting lineout was not retained.
It felt like it would take a Vikings mistake for St Andrews to score, and a charge down curtained qualified. In fairness it was a great piece of skill to pick up and score quickly when the ball became lose, and the resulting conversion meant the away team were within 8 with 8 to go. Pretty much that whole time they were in possession, slowly creeping their way up the field through good attacks against a tiring defence and winning penalties. In their 22 possession was spilled after a good shot from Weston, however the 80-minute Prop also knocked the ball on in the process. From the resulting scrum they attacked in the Centre channels but could not retain possession as Swift ripped the ball in contact. A pass and a clearance kick later and the game was down.
Whilst St Andrews would end the year top of the table, it was only courtesy of points difference. Their undefeated streak was gone and no league points got to enjoy their bus trip down the M1. Too bad.
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