Rugby club’s one-point joy is followed by one-point sorrow

MARCH was a story of narrow margins for Melbourne Rugby Club’s 1st XV as consistency in selection saw changing sides with the six nations and injury attrition rates rising through February and March

Melbourne claimed a one-point victory to their name, followed a week later by a one-point defeat

On March 11 the firsts scored their narrow victory against Moseley Oak, who were the league’s form side having managed five consecutive victories

Melbourne emerged 19-18 winners in a hugely physical encounter that was an entertaining affair for the home supporters with tries for Watson (two) and Ballington, two of which were converted by Pearch

But things went differently for Melbourne the following week as luck went the other way with a last second agonising defeat 27-28 defeat to league leaders Leek in what was arguably one of the best games of the season and a real ding dong battle!

Whilst the conditions were unfavourably muddy and wet, the game was highly entertaining, with scores being exchanged within minutes of one another

Warren, Holden, Whitten and Smith all claimed tries for the green and golds while young fullback Pearch converted two and executed a penalty for another three points

It was with the last play of the game and Melbourne trailing by one score, that saw the home side galvanise for a final push Calm under pressure and spreading the play wide they managed to scythe through the visitors’ defence in the last minute and score wide left of the post leaving a deficit of a single point

With the angle and distance against him Pearch stepped up and almost pinched the victory only to see his kick narrowly sail past the right hand post, at which point it was time for the final whistle to be blown

With the disorganised and last minute nature of the RFU Cup creating havoc in the rugby community, Melbourne were faced with a tough prospect away at Market Harborough With changes rung due to unavailability across the board the 1st XV suffered a sobering loss but gained valuable experience from the match as several second and third XV players were given opportunities through the weekend to experience the next level up

The third team, meanwhile, got off to a great start in April with an 8-48 victory over Belper in a friendly game, with Joshua Morgan scoring the first try for Melbourne after 10 minutes

In fact, it was a stellar performance from Morgan, who went on to score further tries (four in total) for the green and golds, while Bilson came up trumps with four conversions There were further tries from Mark-Hansen, Poxon, Sylvester and Morris in a mudfilled game Man of the match Poxon, new to rugby, made the club’s combined team of the week

This concluded the season for Melbourne who, after promotion last season, had set their sights in securing and cementing their place in Regional 2 Midlands Upon reflection the green and golds can be rightly proud of their achievements

Whilst the 1st XV had a fantastic and fine season, which saw them battling regularly for the number three position for most of the season, their greatest achievements have been the transition of the young players through the minis and juniors into the academy and then into senior rugby This has seen several players rise through the ranks and become embedded with the first, second and third teams that they run on a weekly basis

Rugby continues to be a huge part of the community and the club continues to grow and evolve not just in numbers but in enjoyment and as a leading example of how to develop and transition players through the age grades Melbourne are continuing to seek players and volunteers to support their growth If you or anyone you know may be interesting in playing, coaching