Confusion reigned, with Belper expecting to play a Rolls Royce side, only to discover that the team that turned up were actually Notts Medics, although they did play in the same colour shirts, were young and athletic especially in the backs, just like RR!
It didn't bode well that the medics requested that the scrum go uncontested a good 30 minutes before kick off, finally agreeing to "at least give it a go".
Well, they had obviously heard of the power and strength of the Belper pack and that it was the mainstay of the Belper game plan because after the first scrum, they gave in and the game went to uncontested scrums, much to Belpers disgust!
The whole ethos of Rugby Union was lost from that point onwards with the game descending into a blend of Rugby League and "sevens" rugby. Belper pack may have just as well had the day off! Despite this, Belper did manage to ruck and maul well and did score first after the forwards winning good ball and feeding the backs. Jack Blount to score close to the posts. The kick was converted to give Belper a 7 - 0 lead. The medics quickly rendered what little success at forward play Belper were enjoying by blatantly spoiling and giving penalties away.
Enjoying time and space and the certainty that they would win their own ball the Medics backline ran the ball back at Belper, not so much through the defence, more like round it, capitalizing on their greater speed and from then on the game got very silly and very un-enjoyable for Belper. Despite the medics pace and agility, Belper battled well and managed to thwart attack after attack but the pressure eventually told, and with the constant free ball from the scrum, did well to limit the medics to scoring 4 tries.
Towards the end of the match the medics continued to stop Belper getting quick ball from the breakdown and every time it looked like the Belper forwards were getting on top, the medics failed to roll away, or handled on the floor, or came in offside, or went over the top etc etc. They almost set up a rota system for offenders with 3 players being sin binned in the last 25 minutes. Despite being a man up for most of the second half Belper managed to score only once, but what a try it was! The forwards powered on from just outside their own 22m, with a series of rucks and mauls with almost every player in the team being involved at some point. The move culminated in Captain Holmezy breaking away and being held up 3m short of the line, and despite the presence of most of the Medics pack trying to stop him, managing to pop the ball to Micky Elove (who was having a breather at the time) to walk in under the posts. Ironically, once again, Mick Elove managed to score a easy try without actually contributing much else to the game, but I suppose thats what makes rugby the strange game that it is.
The final score was 24-14 and despite the defeat the whole of the Belper side can take great credit for the effort and performance that they put in (especially the youngsters....again), against a medics side that obviously didn't fancy a proper game of rugby.