Novos wing it to a win!

Novos started slowly.... very slowly within ten minutes we found ourselves 12-0 down and both our subs called into action following injuries to Liam Savage and Mike Cousins engaging Martin Blight and Dave Addison into early action.

Horden totally dominated the opening 30 minutes, with Novos finding the heavy pitch tough to get to grips with and the impressive line speed of the Horden defence was really causing us problems.

Defencively we were clinging on and the little posession we did have was wasted, knocked on or given back to Horden... The few spectators that had shunned the first team could have been forgiven for a cricket score being registered for the away side.

But on 30 minutes Novos suddenly woke up!

Better use of posession saw Novos eventually hold on to the ball for more than 2 phases and new fly half Christian Selkirk put in an inch perfect crossfield kick which another new boy Lex Leonard scooped up and went in for his first Novos try.

Immediately from Horden's kick off Selkirk put a super kick into the corner and when Horden made a mess of the line out Big Rob Campbell picked from the melee but need all of his 6ft 6ins to get the ball over the line.

After soaking up outrageous pressure, Novos found themselves level approaching half time!

It got even better when on the stroke of half time a break from Liam Pape gave space to the backs who spun it wide for Darren McCrory to fly into the corner and cement an unlikely Novos lead.

This annoyed Horden!

Horden roared back in the 2nd half and very quickly registered a converted try through strong driving play from their forwards to pull level at 21-21

More pressure followed from Horden but Novos were ambitious from a turn over in our own 22 and got the ball wide to speedster Lex Leonard who hared off up the pitch beating 4 men en route to a superb individual Bonus point try.

This REALLY annoyed Horden!!

Back they came with real verve and purpose and their forwards were really turning the screw in open play and in the tight but Novos forwards stepped up superbly to meet the challenge and when Horden opted to scrum instead of kick a few penalties, the lads really stepped up to prevent the Horden drives and defended well until the massive Horden prop crashed over from short range on 70 minutes to take a narrow 28 -26 lead, with time running out Novos went on the attack and another break from Leonard was chipped but in desperation Horden held the Novos chasers back and Novos were awarded a penalty, Selkirk kicked to the corner.

Novos took a quick line out which Dixon popped down to Justin Taylor and a superb miss move from Ben Melrose found Sam Burnside marauding forward, as always Burnside does the basics so well and drew his man before popping to Darren McCrory who finshed with aplomb (and a little gay dance!)

Novos edged to 31-28 but there was still time for some hearts in mouths moments as Horden attacked again. In the last play of the game Reidy and Blight combined to turn over Horden posession and Selkirk gratefully hammered the ball into touch to give Novos a really good win against a side that won this league 2 seasons ago and last season were competing in Division One.

Man of the match: Stiff competition from Darren McCrory for two tries, Justin Taylor for having to endure a real physical test from Horden's forwards who were on him like a tramp on chips all day and Rob Campbell who is really starting to develop as a rugby player. But Man of the Match was awarded to Lex Leonard for outstanding work in both attack and defence and two well taken tries.

Next week the 2nds are in cup action against undefeated Percy Park Pumas, expect a return for ex Novos colt Mike Baker in what should be an excellent Quarter Final match up.