Match Report by Justin Evans
coach@burugby.com

Despite the monsoon, BU managed to host Bentley in a tense, entertaining, high-scoring game Saturday. Unfortunately for the boys in red they also managed, for the third week in a row, to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. Things looked good for BU from the start. A strike against the head at the first scrum enabled quick ball to be shipped to the outside centre who appeared to have a clear run in for the try line. A rush of blood to the head caused him to pass, with an eye to an easier conversion, only to spill the ball and let the opportunity go begging.

Bentley gradually worked their powerful back row into the exchanges and the visitors were worthy of their 10-0 lead. As in previous weeks, BU found themselves two scores down before mustering their first points. A quick tap penalty was released to prop James Bremis who bulldozed his way to the line and make for a 10-5 half-time score.

Buoyed by the try, BU came out hungry for the second half, and a superb solo effort from Matt Goyette handed the home side the lead. Back came Bentley with a try of their own to regain a 17-12. BU were determined not to repeat mistakes from the previous two weeks and conjured up the try of the season so far with thee ball going through at least ten pairs of hands before being touched down by inside centre Andrew Webb. The successful conversion gave BU slenderest of leads, 19-17. With less than ten minutes left and a victory in sight, BU began to commit a series of penalties. Bentley threw everything into attack, and regained the lead through their influential blindside flanker. Again naivety saw BU trying to force the game too much. The backs were dispossessed when trying to run a penalty out of the 22' and Bentley were gifted a further try on the stroke of full time to give a flattering, but fully deserved 31-19 win. Credit must go to our opponents for coming from behind twice to win but we must now look at our mental toughness, particularly in the final quarter of the game.

The team has had a couple of difficult weeks due to the construction on Magazine Beach. It has meant we've been training indoors or been restricted to just running, but we are very much looking forward to Saturday's game at Brown. The Rhode Island team is unbeaten and sit top of the conference but we're aiming for the W.