Buzzards’ season fizzled out with a lackluster 10-6 defeat at local rivals Dunstablians on Saturday.
In a match where there were only local bragging rights to play for, the contest should have been full of passion, but there was little of that evident on the pitch from either side on the last day of the Midlands 2 East (South) season.
The game was rearranged after the scheduled meeting between the sides was called off in March – a decision that sparked a war of words from the two respective camps.
The game started with the visitors playing into a strong wind so kicking for points was always going to be hard.
It was Dunstable who had the first chance to put some points on the scoreboard, but John White pulled his kick to the left of the posts.
But it was not long before he made up for that miss as Buzzards were adjudged off their feet at a ruck.
But Buzzards took the ball from the restart and moved it close to the Dunstable line, and it was the hosts who were penalised in front of the posts this time – Luke Ilic kicking the three points. And that was followed by another penalty to make it 6-3 moments later.
In the second half neither team could break the other’s defence down, and with the game looking as if Buzzards were just going to edge it, the home side threw everything at them going for the win.
And after much pressure and a yellow card for Buzzards man Dan Baroux, Dunstable forced their way through and Duncan Holmes scored.
White slotted over for the conversion and the hosts were left to celebrate the bragging rights until the teams meet again next season. However, Buzzards still finish above their rivals in fourth place.