St Edwards OB 30 Ruskin Park 18 THE subdued silence on the normally lively coach trip home summed up the Ruskin players' feelings about this defeat.

For this was a match which they could have sewn up in the first quarter.

Total domination up front enabled the gaps to launch a series of attacks, but time and again the last pass went astray and chances went begging.

The retirement of Ponder after 20 minutes caused a re-shuffle in the pack and St Edwards came more into the game.

A penalty for offside was quickly followed by a try in the corner in the home side's first real attack.

And the stand-off popped over a neat drop gal in the next.

Ste Wood pegged the scoreline back with a couple of penalties but in the last 10 minutes of the half some woeful defence let in the "Eddies" twice more. Two conversions added to Ruskin's troubles.

Ruskin grabbed an early second-half score when neat passing enabled Savage to score wide out. But the score was cancelled out when St Edwards scored from close range.

The introduction of Prosser and Billy Parr at this point livened Ruskin up and on the hour the ball was swept to the left, where Orford raced in at the corner.

A great conversion by Wood gave Ruskin hope, but the St Edwards defence held firm, leaving Ruskin to ponder what might have been.

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