Buccaneers edged out by Wolfhunt

Boston Buccaneers 30 Sherwood Wolfhunt 32

The Boston Buccaneers began their 2019 rugby league campaign with a classic arm wrestle of a game against old rivals Sherwood Wolfhunt.

Coach Jim Dearing gave debuts to Jack Rules, Scotty Stevenson, Mike Williams, Saulius Kaleda and Harry Atkinson.

The game started well with John Stanfield putting the home side ahead with a penalty kick.

The lead was short lived after a penalty gave Wolfhunt great field position, allowing them to score.

The game proved to be a see-saw affair with both teams having chances to score only to be frustrated by penalties.

The deadlock was broken by Buccaneers loose forward Lewis Wilson, who finished off a fine backs move go over in the corner for the score.

Stanfield added the extras.

Ten minutes later the home team were again pressing for the try line, this time prop Will Scupham spinning past wanting defenders to touchdown under the posts.

Not to be outdone, the visitors added two tries of their own to keep the game tight but the Buccaneers finished the half strongest.

Punishing runs by props Scupham and Paul Lucas set up a great try by winger John Hummel.

The visitors started the second half strongly, slowing down the ball and using their forwards to good effect.

Despite some great defending from Stevenson and Liam Croker, the Buccaneers were soon two tries down.

With five minutes left on the clock and the score line at 32-20 the Buccaneers dug deep and forced errors turning defence into attack.

Centre Jordan Cleaver made a 30 metre break allowing Wilson to carve his was through defenders for the score.

Time was against the home team but to their credit they never gave up and in the dying seconds full back Stevenson found a gap and weaved his way through defenders to dab down in the corner.

With the score at 30-32 and the conversion needed to tie the game, the kick sailed agonisingly wide to hand victory to the Wolfhunt.

Coach Dearing commented: “I was really pleased with the effort from the team.

“We matched them physically and came up with some really good tries and strong efforts in defence.

“We’ve set the bar high with our first performance and now we’ll work hard to make improvements as the season continues.”

BUCCANEERS: Stanfield, Croker, Cuthbertson, Kaleda, Wilson, Lucas, Underwood, Cleaver, Scupham, Wright, Fox, Hummel, Atkinson, Stevenson, Rules, Williams, Piggins, Gray, Stanfield Snr, Nixon.

Man of the match: Scotty Stevenson.

The Buccaneers travel to face Derby City at Ilkeston RFC on Saturday.