Spalding 36 Stamford 17
Stamford arrived at Centenary Park having recently been crowned champions in Counties One Midlands East (South) league with a lead of 19 points with only three games remaining.
But this was a local derby for Spalding, who last week went away and, despite playing the majority of the game with only 14 players, beat third in the league Towcestrians.
This week they took the lead in the fifth minute, and never let up, securing a dominant victory.
With the Seconds also playing Stamford at home and winning a close game 24-21, Stamford left Centenary Park with their tails between their legs.
Gav Sharman replaced the suspended Ben Shields in Spalding’s only change from last week and they started brightly with the cohesion in their forward play, gain territory and possession putting Stamford on the back foot.
A penalty kick by Conall Mason established an early lead.
On the restart George Douglas secured the high ball before punching a hole in Stamford’s defence with Lachlan Summers and Luke Turner making big carries.
With the try line beckoning, the ruck was secured by Tom Rollinson and scrum half Jim Wraith nipped through a defensive gap to score just wide of the posts.
With the simple conversion, Spalding were up by ten points after nine minutes.
Stamford were finding it difficult to penetrate Spalding’s well organised defence in response while the home side’s forwards were making territory in open play.
A thrust down the right by centre Jack Patrick and winger Sam Christie put Spalding near the try line. A quick ball out to fly half Willis Ingleby and his pass to centre Mason created a wide open gap in Stamford’s defence.
Mason scored under the posts and with the conversion, Spalding’s lead was 17 points after 16 minutes.
From a penalty conceded by Spalding, Stamford kicked for touch and with the lineout ball secured, the visitors drove their well organised maul over the try line.
The remaining 15 minutes of the first half saw both teams challenging up and down the pitch but both defences coming out on top.
The start of the second half saw the visitors looking to get back into the game and it didn’t take them long to gain a reward. They sucked in Spalding’s defence to allow their outside centre to glide through a big gap and score under the posts.
The successful conversion brought Stamford back within five points.
Midway through the second half, Spalding made the match winning scores.
A long distance clearance kick by Ingleby gained field position as Christie and Henry Duce chased down, stopping any counter attack and gaining possession.
Hooker Tom Rollinson was on hand to break through a couple of tackles, cutting back inside to score by the posts for a converted try.
Five minutes later outside centre Patrick lit up the afternoon cutting through several tackles at pace and side stepping the last defender to score near the posts to secure the try bonus for a 19-point lead.
The subs bench was used, with Harry Brett, who had again played well especially in the lineout alongside Douglas, was replaced by Dom Broadhead while Will Shields and Ryan Firth came on for Douglas and Duce.
Stamford again came back ten minutes later scoring their third try with a driving maul in the left corner after a lineout.
With time nearly up, Ingleby kicked a penalty to the corner. Douglas, back on the field, won lineout possession and, though the driving maul stalled, Jack Grundy managed to dive over the try line for the final score.
This was a cracking game of rugby, especially being a local derby.
Team: Tom Parker, Tom Rollinson, Luke Turner, Harry Brett, George Douglas, Henry Hobson, Lachlan Summers, Jack Grundy, Jim Wraith, Willis Ingleby, Sam Christie, Conall Mason, Jack Patrick, Gav Sharman, Henry Duce. Subs: Ryan Firth, Will Shields, Dominic Broadhead.
Photos by Adrian Smith.
