Wheatley vs Milton Keynes

Wheatley played with real heart throughout this weeks BBO Premiership fixture at Milton Keynes, Wheatley were without 10 1st team regulars and lost Jack Taylor in the warm up to an ankle injury. Re shuffling the back line with Aaron Laman switching to 9, Toby Butler moving to 10 with second row Jack Smith stepping in to the centre and Hooker Jake Durbin coming on to the wing. However it wasn't long before more changes were needed with a serious head injury to Aaron Laman after colliding heads with Ben Kelsey ruling him out for the remaining 60 minutes. Wheatley didn't get off to the best start allowing Milton Keynes's David Foord to score out wide with the uncharacteristic lack of organisation in defence allowing a fairly soft try, Wheatley were hit again in from the re-start gifting MK another try this time with the home teams speedster John Subong showing electric pace to out gas the defence. Wheatley were forced to go down to 14 men at this point with Ben Kelsey leaving the field with a pulled hamstring, This seen to galvanise the Wheatley defence with large periods of possession and a well functioning scrum Wheatley were able to apply the pressure and force the errors with Milton Keynes only able to muster 13 points at half time. Wheatley were caught napping at the re-start with a quick try and the home team seemingly now establishing that moving the ball wide quickly yielded and overlap due to the extra man. Wheatley hit back pretty quickly with more pressure from the re-start forcing a scrum close to the line, with the Wheatley pack firing on all cylinders the purple men applied enough power that MK conceded the penalty, Quick thinking prop Alex Gabbidon took advantage of the napping defence and crashed over to open the Wheatley account with the conversion missed Wheatley were beginning to find their feet all be it one pair short! Wheatley continued to probe the Milton Keynes defensive line with Ezra Rees and Alex Gabbidon prominent unfortunately too often the ball would break loose or knock on effecting the continuity in play and with the loose ball too often finding its self wide of the Wheatley defence and allowing Milton Keynes to build a lead. Wheatley's second try was almost a carbon copy of the first with Wheatley again trundling the ball deep into the opposition half forcing the error and opting for the scrum, the subsequent penalty agains fell to Alex Gabbidon who again delivered the 5 point with Toby Butler adding the conversion. Wheatley continued to battle hard and kept Milton Keynes at bay for large periods but with the extra man telling MK were able to exploit the overlap. Great heart from this performance with Wheatley never letting their heads drop.