Matt Abbott scores a try!

Before we start,let's talk about the kit.The horrible,stinking kit that Mayhem 'forgot to wash' from last week.

The smell was unholy and meant that the Gannets legendary pre match warm up consisted mainly of retching until the spare third team shirts were located so with this in mind you could forgive them their slow start.

And Vigo took advantage of this by applying the early pressure pinning the Gees back inside their own half for the first ten minutes or so.
It was a see saw battle in the scrums with Vigo winning the first couple then the Gannets responding with a few good shoves of their own.

Steadily the Gannets made their way up the hill into the visitors 22 before a seemingly innocuous Vigo backs move which looked to be going nowhere but the touchline exploded into life when their winger broke through a couple of lame tackles and was away,outpacing the Gees defence to score under the posts for a converted try.

Staunch defence by the Vigo backs meant that the Gannets forwards were having to up their workload and again,it was a harmless looking (from the visitors point of view) run from Sargey around the halfway line that led to the next score.A prop,running sideways against a solid defensive line? Whats the worst that can happen? A sidestep later and he was away up the field,stepping the fullback to dot down in the corner.Dan Bromleys conversion attempt was just wide.

With their tails up,it wasn't long until the Gannets added another score.Following some excellent approach play,Dan Grant burst through the defence but was seemingly reluctant,for reasons known only to himself,to place the ball on the deck,which he eventually did before he went out of bounds.

The Gannets thought they had the game in the bag and it would surely only be a matter of time before the ran in a hatful of tries,but this complacency came back to haunt them in the worst way possible when a Vigo kick towards touch bounced just shy of the line and whilst the Gees defence stood around waiting for touch judge Bens flag to be raised,the visitors nipped in with an excellent take to score.
A prime example of 'play to the whistle' if there ever was one.

Half time 10-12.

Vigo had the upper hand at the start of the second with their pack now on top in the set scrums and their backs finally gaining ground.Indiscipline from the Gannets was also a contributing factor as the home team simply couldn't get going,through the backs or forwards.A driving maul inside their own 22 provided the spark that the Gannets were desperately seeking and with Dan Grants excellent marshalling,good ground was made.

A lineout ball presented the Gees with another driving maul and the Vigo pack simply had no answer to it as it rumbled down inside their 22.When the ball finally made an appearance it found its way to Matt 'Predator' Abbott who skipped gaily over a tackle to score under the sticks with Dan Grant adding the extras.

With 15 minutes left,the Gannets knew they had to defend with their lives and this was the case as phase after phase of Vigo attacks were repelled.

Around five minutes before time Dan Grants hair finally gave out and flopped over his face.With no hairspray available he had to be subbed resulting in uncontested scrums.Save for a last ditch tackle on Oliver Karabardak in the corner,that was that and the Gannets had yet another hard fought win under their belts.

Games against Vigo are always tough,close affairs played in the right spirit and this was no exception.My advice to any team that comes up against them this season is to never judge a book by its cover.Yes,they have some 'senior' players but they're hard as nails,relentless and as determined as they come.Underestimate them at your peril.

As for the Gannets,it's a bye week next week giving their battered players a much needed rest.Hopefully there'll be returns for Ben Baker,Big H,very big Craig Duvana and maybe even Persil dodger Mayhem.If he's not attending a free lunch dressed as an undertaker/snooker player hybrid.

Until next time,muddy funsters....