Eliah stars as the Buffaloes defeat Upton to remain on the top of the table.
Andy & Devon Johnson
The match began under a downpour, yet both teams impressively adapted to the challenging conditions. The breakthrough for the Buffaloes took some time to manufacture, as several early efforts came to nought, and the final passes or kicks didn’t stick.
In the 8th minute, Lewis Gaunt broke the deadlock when he latched onto a lovely pass to split open the Upton defence and score under the posts from 5 meters out. He then converted his try, putting the Buffaloes ahead 6 – 0.
True to recent form, the Buffaloes put themselves under pressure by failing to secure possession from Upton’s restart. However, their defence stood resilient against Upton’s offensive efforts.
The Buffaloes extended their lead in the 23rd minute when Louis Morrison, who consistently gained significant yardage throughout the game, stormed over from close range after receiving a perfectly weighted pass from Lewis Gaunt. Gaunt again added the conversion, bringing the score to 12 – 0.
The third try came swiftly in the 27th minute and was a spectacle. The Buffaloes were looking to work the ball out of their 20-meter area when it was passed to Eliah Chitiyo. With only a meter of space between him and the touchline and several Upton defenders to beat, a smirk spread across the Upton players’ faces. This was soon wiped off when Eliah embarked on an 80-meter dash down the touchline, evading multiple defenders and leaving many in his wake. Eliah then cut inside and dotted the ball down under the posts like it was nothing. Lewis Gaunt’s conversion brought the score to 18–0.
In the 36th minute, the Buffaloes secured their fourth try of the afternoon with another impressive play. The ball found Eliah, who demonstrated his speed and agility again, weaving through the Upton team from 5 meters out to score under the posts. Gaunt’s successful conversion made it 24 – 0 in favour of the Buffaloes as the whistle for half-time blew.
Half-time score: Buffaloes 24 – 0
Just one minute into the second half, Eliah Chitiyo showcased his blistering pace again, evading Upton’s centre, winger, and fullback to secure his hat-trick try of the afternoon. Lewis Gaunt’s conversion brought the score to 30 – 0.
Despite this early setback, Upton emerged from half-time more committed and with renewed vigour. However, their aggressive Plan B backfired, leaving them suffering a string of penalties for a prolonged series of head-high tackles. In one three-minute spell, they conceded four consecutive penalties, leaving the crowd wondering just how far the referee would allow them to go before he placed them on a team warning or showed a yellow card.
As the second half progressed, injuries plagued both teams, making the game more balanced. Upton dominated possession for a while, but the Buffaloes’ defence remained unyielding, preventing Upton from crossing the try line.
The Buffaloes continued their dominance with two more tries in the final 10 minutes. In the 70th minute, Sam Neave displayed immense strength and determination, powering through several tackles to score to the right of the posts. Unfortunately, the referee saw an incident just after scoring that he judged worthy of a yellow card for Sam and the Upton winger, who was the last to try and tackle him.
The final try came in the 80th minute, marking Chitiyo’s fourth of the match. He supported Keiran Hudson’s 40-meter run, finishing wideout. The conversion attempt was missed, but it hardly mattered.
The Buffaloes, demonstrating their strength and resilience against the weather and Upton, retained their place at the top of the table. Several players delivered standout performances, but with four remarkable tries, Eliah Chitiyo deservedly earned the man of the match award.
Final score: Buffaloes 38 – 0
Buffaloes: 1) Omar Al-Rawi, 2) Eliah Chitiyo, 3) Daniel Booth, 4) Kieran Hudson, 5) Jamie Donnelly, 6) Kieran McFarlane, 7) Sam Neave, 8) Jacob Oldroyd, 9) Jack Boot, 10) Louis Morrison, 11) Samuel Marshall, 12) Bailey Harman, 13) Lewis Gaunt, Subs (all used); 14) Curtis Sidebottom, 15) Ben Wilkinson, 16) Ethan McFarlane, 17) Michael Bryan-Joyce.
Tries: Gaunt (8), Morrison (23), Chitiyo (27, 36, 41, 80), Neave (70)
Goals: Gaunt x 5
Upton: 1) Tyler Lloyd, 2) Jay Swain, 3) Kyle Nix, 4) Charlie Bishop, 5) Demitrius Owen, 6) Steven Beal, 7) Todd Williamson, 8) Spencer Howcroft, 9) Finley Parish, 10) Liam Walker, 11) Logan McArthur, 12) Nick Welsh, 13) Taylor Goodwin, Subs (all used); 14) Aaron Lloyd, 15) Kieran Thornton, 16) William Bojang, 17) Bailey Ward