Coalville 36
Spalding RFC 14
Two tries from Harry Brown couldn’t prevent Spalding RFC from suffering a 36-14 loss at Coalville on the opening day of the new Midlands Two East (North) campaign.
A poor first period was the catalyst for Town’s demise on Saturday – and at one stage in the second half Sam Cooke’s side trailed 36-0.
It was always going to be a tough opener for relegated Spalding, who were up against a side that narrowly missed out on promotion last season.
With the wind at their backs and a good home crowd, Coalville started brightly with their forwards quicker to the breakdown areas.
With plenty of the ball, the home team’s scrum-half was soon feeding his fly-half, whose pace quickly exposed Spalding’s poor tackling. With the ball being passed along the line, their outside centre was in for a converted try after just five minutes.
The previous week the Spalding scrum had the upper hand against Stamford, but with a larger and heavier pack Coalville soon won a couple of penalties for infringements – and with one being successfully kicked the momentum was with the home team as Town struggled to gain or retain possession.
Adding to their woes were numerous missed tackles and on the half hour Coalville capitalised with two converted tries.
Stunned into action, Spalding started to compete at the breakdown and also started to string passes together with the ball flowing along the three-quarter line, bringing Chris Douglas into the match with a couple of runs on the right wing.
The back row of Harry Sharman, Ash Piccaver and Brown began taking the fight to the opposition and gaining territory, but over enthusiasm saw Piccaver yellow carded, minutes before half time.
Spalding’s woes continued early in the second half as missed tackles resulted in Coalville adding two tries, with one conversion, to move a huge 36 points to nil ahead.
Town refused to collapse, though, as their greater fitness and growing confidence with the ball resulted in the forwards winning the breakdown battle.
Jordan Templer, who had an outstanding game, was clearly dominating the lineout with the help of Jimmy Rowlands’ accurate throwing in, while the scrum was now holding its own with props
Kier Moore and Josh Caley, who had replaced Jacob Hutson, starting to turn the screws on their opposite numbers.
With the penalty count going Town’s way, Josh Broome was gaining territory with some good touch kicks – and with lineout ball won and the driving maul going well, Brown was over for a try converted by Broome.
With the pressure now on Coalville, their open-side flanker was yellow carded.
Piccaver, using his speed and strength, was causing problems for the opposition and was stopped short of the tryline on a couple of occasions, once by a matter of a couple of inches.
Brown then completed his very good afternoon’s work with a further converted try for the final score of 34 points to 14 for the home team.
Despite the score, the spirit and determination shown by Town in the second half should leave them full of confidence ahead of Saturday’s Memorial Field date with Dronfield (3pm).
Spalding RFC: Kier Moore, Jimmy Rowlands, Jacob Hutson, Jordan Templer, Sam Cooke (captain), Ash Piccaver, Harry Sharman, Harry Brown, Will Shields, Jim Williams, George Douglas, Adam McHugh, Kieran Lake, Chris Douglas, Josh Broome, Josh Caley, Will Moore and Chris Eggleton.
Saturday’s Midlands Two East (North) results: Ashbourne 34 West Bridgford 21; Bakewell Mannerians 21 Stamford 51; Coalville 36 Spalding 14; Dronfield 21 Southwell 12; Mansfield 14 Nottingham Casuals 18; Market Bosworth 17 Melbourne 17.
