Melksham Rugby Football Club (RFC) secured their first promotion in 17 years with an emphatic 93 – 0 win against Salisbury on Saturday, 23rd March.
On a day that could have been dictated by the weather, with hail, rain and sun all making an appearance, Melksham RFC scored 15 tries at the Oakfield Stadium, to consolidate a league-winning season with promotion to Counties 1 Southern South.
Melksham are hoping to finish the league season having not dropped a single point, currently one of only three clubs nationally to be on track to do so. Melksham are also still in contention for cup finals at The Rec and Twickenham in the event of two successful cup runs.
“Today’s performance is the culmination of two seasons of hard work and transition,” explained rugby director, Sam White. “A huge amount of work has been undertaken by the players, coaches and volunteers within the club to achieve this and credit needs to go to each and every one of them.
“A huge thank you also needs to go to the sponsors that have continued to support us this year. We have built this season’s performance on the basis of a culture of enjoyment and hard work. We have continued to develop our coaching and playing structure this year and are hoping that continues in the leagues above.”
One of the developments in Melksham’s coaching structure this year was the appointment of head coach Dan Jeffries. He said, “The squad has come a long way this season, particularly in relation to focus, professionalism and work ethic. It is a really positive and exciting time to be at the club. I am really confident that this squad has so much more potential and I am really excited about how much more we can achieve.”
The club reports, “The first half saw Melksham start slowly as they built into the game. They began to exert control on possession and territory, attempting to break down a well drilled and structured Salisbury defence, with Ali Smith breaking the deadlock at 10 minutes. Salisbury continued to display defensive organisation throughout the first quarter. Tries from Brad Whatley, Lewie Simmons and Charlie Radcliffe secured Melksham the bonus point before half-time.”
The team’s next and final league game is on Saturday 6th April against Westbury at home, at Oakfield Stadium.
Melksham RFC continue to look for support in their rugby ambitions, with sponsorship opportunities still available for next season.
