Saturday saw The Benger start their 2024-25 season with a home fixture against newly promoted Fairford. And an interesting and compelling match for the spectators.

Fairford arrived in Sutton Benger with an impressive record from last season winning 14 out of their 15 matches to come through as Champions of Counties 3 North. And they clearly were not going to be intimidated by Benger finishing 3rd in last season’s Counties 2 league.

The match started at a pace with Benger on the attack, and good defending by the Fairford green shirts. But early penalties saw Fairford move towards the Benger goal line, and a further penalty for a high tackle inside Benger’s 22 was punished by Fairford no10 who slotted a goal attempt to take an early lead 0-3 within 4 minutes.

From the kick off, the first scrum was awarded to Benger, but needed resetting for a second, and Benger’s pack was penalised by the heavier, and wilier Fairford forwards, and the pattern for scrummaging was set for most of the afternoon.

A blindside dart by Benger’s scrum half Rob Waddington was thwarted, and it was nip and tuck for a good 15 minutes with Benger on the attack trying to get the ball wide to the speedsters on the wing. More penalties, this time against Fairford, two on the trot saw another blindside attack, and this time winger Ethan Oakley opened his account for the season, with a great 25 metre sprint down the touchline, to touch down out wide on the right. Benger take the lead 5-3 at 22 minutes.

Totally non-plussed Fairford restart and immediately lay siege to Benger’s 22, and that pays quick dividend with a neatly worked move out to the left, try Fairford, and their no 10 again slots that home for the extras to regain the lead at 26 minutes 5-10.

Benger ‘s attack keeps pressing hard, and a slight rain shower makes the ball a little slippery, resulting in a knock on in Fairford’s 22, referee allows advantage to be played. Fullback Connor Luckett swoops on the loose ball and puts winger Oakley away. This time Ethan performs an outrageous body dummy and sends his opponent totally the wrong way, which gives him a run into the same spot as before for his second try. Flyhalf Harry Taylor adds the two points conversion, and Benger back into the lead at 32 minutes, 12-10.

Couple minutes later the referee must step in and speak to Benger flanker Parry and Fairford scrum half for off the ball incident, for which both receive 10 minutes on the side line with a yellow card against each of them. A couple of Benger attacks later, a messy Fairford line out, in their own 22, Benger steal the ball and Benger forwards drive on, couple of recycles and patience, and prop Cam Gilchrist gets over the line. 17-10 at 37 minutes, half time approaching.

But from the restart Fairford secure good forward ball from a Benger line out, and two carries later see Fairford forwards over the Benger try line, and with the try conversion, its 17-17 at 40 minutes. It has been a very confident start for Fairford, Benger attacks strong, but the visitors defence holding well.

Second half kicks off from Fairford, well taken by Benger and a dominant attack up the right-hand side, and a trade mark ‘quarterback sneak’ through various defenders sees Rob Waddington break the defence lines and scurries around to the post, try, and converted by Harry, 7 points within a minute of kick off. 24-17 to Benger.

Fairford restart and retain possession, a promising attack is prevented by Benger centre Ollie Waddington. A well-timed interception excellently poached by Ollie sees no one ‘at home’ so it’s a foot race over 60 metres which Ollie wins by a couple metres. Another 5 points, 29-17, and just three minutes gone of the second half. Spectators dawdling back after half time refreshments have missed the Waddington brothers put distance between Benger & Fairford.

Its not enough to say the fixture is secured, as Fairford capable of a comeback with loads of time on the clock. Fairford proving to be very strong in the scrum and very canny in the line outs, but Benger’s defence is up to the job. Unfortunately, full back Luckett is forced to leave the field with an injury, Callum Harford coming off the bench to lead the way with some numbing tackles, and a ‘George North’ moment carrying the ball and player on his shoulder! New recruit Damien Gordon gets into the action too from the bench. Defence is performing well despite another two yellow cards against Benger.

Fairford just unable to get their ball out wide, and the game draws to a close with no further score, so a first win of the season to Benger 29-17, and importantly with a try bonus. Both sides complimentary to each other at the post match proceedings, unusually held in the car park, (don’t ask!) where Benger’s Man of the Match was declared as Lenny Parker in only his second outing as a prop.

Coach Rich Waddington declared ‘Fairford will win a good few matches if they continue to play like that. But our attack edged the game, we need to work even harder at defence. And try to attract more players so we can get a better balance on the subs bench”. Skipper Tom Pinniger was pleased with the fair start and its was a 5 point win but recognises more can be expected as the season unfolds.

Those try bonus points are going to be important as the season progresses, the other three fixtures in our league all featured try bonus wins, RWB IIIs winning 22-5 over SCOBs, Pewsey Vale travelled to Colerne and secured a 54-14 win and Marlborough IIs gave Devizes IIs a home defeat with a massive 77-7 result. So all four winning sides have 5 points but points difference mean SB currently fourth after the opening weekend.

Next Saturday 14th is a bye for Benger while Calne start their season at home against RWB IIIs, Marlborough IIs play at home against Minety, the two newly promoted clubs clash at Fairford as they host Colene, and finally SCOBs or Devizes IIs will put win against their name as they play out a game at Swindon.

We see Sutton Benger next, on The Rec at home to Colerne on Saturday 21st September. Benger have started well, a win at home, and an extra try bonus point.