Old Laurentians 24 Spalding 30
Spalding claimed an excellent second away win of the season, doing the double over Rugby’s Old Laurentians, who at the start of the game were lying just one place and one league point below Spalding.
With the return of captain Luke Turner in the front row, Spalding took to the field in determined mood and with the home team kicking off, possession was with Spalding and immediately started to make inroads into Laurentians territory with decent carries by Lachlan Summers and Henry Hobson.
Ball retention was good and with a ruck safely secured scrum half Jim Wraith soon had the ball fizzing out to fly half Conall Mason.
Prop Sam Cowell, with a burst of pace, made inroads and the final pass out to left wing Sam Christie saw him round the home side’s defence and with a simple conversion by Mason, Spalding were seven points up after five minutes.
Laurentians came back strongly with Spalding penalised for not rolling away at the ruck but the penalty kick missed.
Within the next couple of minutes Spalding were caught offside and this time the penalty kick flew between the posts.
Laurentians on the up then from a lineout on Spalding’s five metre line, set up a driving maul and with a converted try the home team were in the ascendancy.
Both teams now had their moments. The battle in the scrums was fairly even, but with four man lineouts and George Douglas securing good possession, Spalding were playing good open running rugby with Gav Sharman at outside centre making several breaks but it was a Mason penalty that levelled the score.
With penalties given away at a lineout followed by a high tackle, a successful penalty kick edged Laurentians back in the lead.
Mason was impressing with a couple of superb breaks slicing through Laurentians’ defence in midfield but it was one of his passes along the backs that launched Christie down the wing and a pass back inside to the supporting Sharman to score an excellent converted try and secure a half time lead of four points.
From the bench Henry Duce replaced fullback Ryan Firth.
It was the home team who immediately built momentum. Spalding were caught offside and with the successful penalty kick there was only one point in it.
Another penalty given away and the home side kick towards the corner and with a successful catch and drive Laurentians had their second try and the lead.
The game was now fairly even but Spalding’s number eight Jack Grundy having his best game with his forceful carries since his return from Hinckey RFC.
From the base of a scrum his drive drew in Laurentians’ defence and Sam Cowell continued the move and drove over the try line and with a Mason conversion Spalding were back in front by three points.
It looked odds on for the home team to retake the lead as a crossfield kick from lineout possession, saw Duce make a superb last man tackle and centre Harry Brett then won the turnover and the penalty clearance kick relieved the pressure.
It was the home team’s turn to fall foul of the offside law with a quarter of an hour remaining with a number of players being in front of the kicker and not retreating.
Up stepped Mason and with two successful penalty kicks from 40m Spalding had built a lead of nine points with three minutes remaining.
The home team came back and with the last kick of the game slotting over a penalty kick for a losing bonus point whilst with their heads held high for a battling and deserved win, Spalding returned home with a four point win.
Team: Sam Cowell, Lachlan Summers, Luke Turner, Jordan Templer, George Douglas, Henry Hobson, Will Shields, Jack Grundy, Jim Wraith, Conall Mason, Sam Christrie, Harry Brett, Gav Sharman, Ben Shields, Ryan Firth. Subs: Henry Duce, Ollie Machin, Yogi Schrauwers.
