In a normal league season, teams occasionally have a drawn game, but it is fairly rare. Not so for Spalding who have extraordinarily now been involved in four Counties 1 Midlands East (South) matches that have finished all square.
It leaves them seventh in the table going into the last game at home to second-placed Vipers on Saturday, April 5.
Spalding started brightly with flowing rugby and within two minutes Conall Mason’s penalty kick hit an upright, bouncing back into play.
Spalding kept Stockwood pinned back in their own half for the opening 10 minutes with Luke Turner and Henry Hobson prominent with their carries. Lacklan Summers’ forceful burst set up a ruck position and a good pass from the base by Jim Wraith saw Jack Patrick and Sam Christie combine on the left wing, but they were tackled just short of the try line only for Wraith to finish off for a converted try
Stockwood were being completely outplayed and five minutes later Mason made a break, kicking through into the dead ball area with Stockwood touching down just ahead of Christie.
A drop-out kick was caught by Willis Ingleby who sliced through the home defence, evading two tackles to score and a simple conversion saw Spalding lead 14-0 inside just 15 minutes.
A lineout saw the hosts get the ball out to the backs and they cut back inside for a converted try. Within two minutes good back play saw them score under the posts to level the score.
Play became more open but Spalding continued to be the better team with Harry Brett and Tomas Parker combining to bring the best out of Stockwood’s defence.
Summers was shown a yellow card, for a high tackle but even with 14 players, Spalding should have made more from an attacking lineout on Stockwood’s five metre line.
A bright start to the second half saw Spalding awarded a penalty kick for a high tackle and Stockwood reduced in numbers for ten minutes.
Spalding’s hard work and pressure paid off when Jack Grundy went over for a converted try and shortly afterward, while playing advantage, Ingleby sailed over for Spalding’s fourth converted try and opened a new 14-point lead. Stockwood hit back when Summers knocked on when tackled and scrum possession went to Stockwood with a cutback by their inside centre leaving the Elephants’ defence exposed for a converted try.
Spalding had the opportunity to kick downfield from the restart but conceded a scrum. Stockwood took full advantage to drive down the middle with pick and goes to score between the posts to draw the game as the final whistle blew.
The Elephants were left frustrated after twice being 14 points ahead, but were not clinical enough with their scoring opportunities and, towards the end, should have closed down the game with better tactical decisions.
Elephants: Parker, Rollinson, Turner, Douglas, Hobson, Brett, Summers, Grundy, Wraith, Ingleby, Christie, Mason, Patrick, Sharman, Duce. Substitutes: Cowell, Firth, Machin.
