Locks Heath Pumas were clearly motivated to be the first team to taste victory over the Guernsey side and avenge their earlier season defeat in the UK. They produced physicality that has not been seen by the opposition this season, as they attempted to out muscle the home side up front. Whilst they took the Vikings close, and earned themselves a losing bonus point, ultimately the home side passed the test to secure another bonus point win and extend their lead at the summit back to 16 points.

On a day where every other game in the division was lost to the freezing conditions in the UK, the Vikings were prepared for a competitive battle on a sunny but cool day at Footes Lane. They anticipated Locks Heath to deliver a challenge up front, having earlier in the season initially struggled to contain the Pumas in the close quarters and their effective driving maul. On home soil though they nullified this threat much more effectively, even if it was not a vintage showing from the black-and-yellows.

The game started as an even contest with both sides seeing plenty of the ball and testing each other around the breakdown and the set-piece. The visitors had several early opportunities to attempt to put their potent driving maul to use, but the Vikings nullified the threat effectively. The deadlock was broken though by Vikings’ scrum-half Dale Rutledge, who scored an excellent individual try following an attacking lineout in the Pumas 22.

Locks Heath reduced the deficit with a regulation penalty in front of the posts, five minutes later, before they finally managed to get the Vikings to crack under pressure.

With a lineout 5m out from the Vikings line, the Pumas caught the ball and only had one thing on their minds, driving the Vikings straight back over. The home side initially dealt with the threat well, but a well-orchestrated secondary shove saw them eventually go over to rapturous celebrations from the visiting coaching team and supporters.

It took four minutes for the Vikings to swing the momentum back in their favour, and perhaps surprisingly it was through a driving maul of their own. From a 10m lineout they impressively drove the Pumas back towards their line, they were stopped just short, but Callum Murdoch was on hand to touch down from the back.

On his 50th cap for the Vikings, Jacob Smith was producing a dominant display in the number eight jersey. The big man was providing front-foot ball regularly, and proved to be a handful all afternoon, so much so he was award man-of-the-match after the game.

A nice period of play from the home side helped them pull further ahead. Starting in their own half they worked themselves forward, aided by another Jacob Smith carry. The ball eventually ended up in fullback Gearoid Lee’s hands with what appeared little attacking options ahead of him, close to the right touchline. He stabbed through a clever grubber kick though which wing Kieran Creber impressively chased down to score in the corner. Dale Rutledge added the challenging touchline conversion.

Vikings second-row Tom Creed was sent to the sinbin for ten minutes towards the end of the first-half after he misjudged a tackle, taking the Pumas man high. Their woes were then extended by the removal of the potent Taylor Quate at the interval, after 40 minutes is all he could muster on his reappearance from injury.

The Pumas were down, but they were certainly not out, as they fought back in the second half to wrestle an impressive try following a dominant scrum. They recycled the ball well through several phases before the pressure told and the gap opened, they made no mistake.

The game was firmly in the balance now, the next score would be vitally important. Thankfully, it went the way of the Vikings as they piled on the pressure. The visitors were pegged in their own 22, and struggling to deal with the pressure, before Tom Creed redeemed his earlier indiscretion by charging down an attempted box kick which he impressively gathered to score.

Both teams continued to test each other, with little success before the Pumas blew the game wide open once again. From an attacking scrum inside the Vikings 22, they broke quickly with their impressive number-eight getting on the front foot, before offloading to an onrushing teammate to score in the corner. The conversion was missed, the Vikings were 4 points to the good, with 5 minutes remaining.

From the restart the Vikings were straight back on the attack, looking for the score that would ensure they came out on top. They were awarded a penalty in front of the posts, after Tom Yarwood impressively turned the ball over at the breakdown. Dale Rutledge stepped up and slotted the penalty to provide them a 7-point cushion.

The Pumas stepped up and had one last go to try and draw the match, but the Vikings defence was not to be breached again, leaving the visitors to settle for a losing bonus point, and the Vikings a bonus point win.

This was a close affair by two evenly matched teams, but thankfully for the Vikings it was them who prevailed in the end. They now head into the Christmas break, before tackling second-placed Winchester Seconds in early January.