MK Wolves opened their 2014 RL East campaign buoyed by winning the East 9’s Championship a week earlier. The team they defeated in the final, Bedford, travelled over to Emerson Valley looking for revenge.

They were assisted when on the first set of tackles MK spilled the ball and were punished by a swift try from Bedford which they converted. MK didn’t let this phase them and exerted pressure on the Tigers line with Fountain being held up on the line and forcing the Tigers to defend consecutive sets of tackles.

This pressure paid off when Michael Dean scooted over from close to the try line to bring the Wolves back equal as he converted his own try making the score all square at 6 – 6.

MK knocked on and were put under pressure of their own. Scrum half, Purcell, made an excellent relieving kick deep into Tigers territory but the hard work was undone when MK were penalised for holding down. Bedford used this to their advantage and re took the lead with a converted try making the score 6 – 12.

Credit to the Wolves as they hit back through a trademark Fountain try which he converted to bring the scores equal in a game that was nip and tuck.

MK continued to take the game to the Tigers with Aspinall making a break, Purcell again kicking deep into Tiger territory and then tackling a Bedford player into touch to win a scrum. Both sides were then guilty of making errors and the experience of Bedford showed up as they went 6 points clear with a try. They reinforced their lead as they spread the ball wide and scored a quick-fire try in the corner to make the score 12- 22.

Again the Wolves came back determined to close the lead back down. This was despite losing Aspinall with a knee injury. It was the turn of the Wolves to take advantage of a penalty as Fothergill used his size and strength to score a try making the score 16 -22. Dady converted the try to make the half time score 18 -22.

The conditions on the day were certainly playing their part and MK faced a stiff wind and the slight incline on the pitch.

Mk were placed under pressure making mistakes and Bedford forced a goal line drop out. Luckily for the Wolves, Bedford were penalised for a forward pass and enjoyed a good set of 6 tackles. Bedford regained the ball and after a series of runs by their forwards, spread the ball wide and again scored to make the score 18 – 28.

The game was again typified by errors on both sides. Again Bedford broke the MK line and scored to make the score 18 -34.

It was time for the Wolves to exert their own pressure on the Bedford line with Punian using his strength to try and score. The Tigers defence held him up on the line. In an attempt to expose the Bedford wing, a long pass was cut out by a Bedford defender who took advantage of the MK players being on attack mode and scored a breakaway try. This gave the Tigers a 22 point lead (18 – 40)

Mk forced more pressure on the Tigers line and a neat inside pass gave veteran prop and ex Tiger, Tomkinson, the opportunity to score a close range try which Purcell converted to give the Wolves a feint chance of a comeback at 24 – 40.

Sadly this was not to be with the Tigers ending the game with two further tries to make the final score 24 – 50.

MK Team:-
John Marchbank, Stuart Bowers, Arran Perry, Jarrod Glover, Jordan Cummings, Oliver Fountain, Brian Purcell, Stuart Tomkinson, Jake Ronaldson, Alistair Fothergill, Ryan Allister, Michael Dean, Scott Aspinall, Dil Punian, Chris Melly, Ashley Walsh, Ed Kilby, Callum Moon, Andy Hill, Paul Dady