Belper RFC 43
Spalding RFC 5
What a difference a week makes for Spalding RFC.
Last Saturday, Town put on a stunning display of rugby to destroy Bakewell on the opening day of the new season.
This week, travelling away to Belper with seven changes to the team, the Elephants suffered a disappointing 43-5 defeat with them rarely threatening the home team.
Making a comeback from a long term injury, Josh Caley returned to the front row and Richard Grew, a new player in the Club, made his debut on the flank. Also coming into the pack were Tim Waltham and Mark Haighton.
Out in the backs, captain Dan Adams started at fly-half, with Connal Mason and Tom Wilson forming the centre partnership.
Last week Belper opened their account with a good win away at Sleaford – and from the kick-off the home team’s advantage was evident with the confident handling in the backs and their big and heavy forwards punching holes in Spalding’s defence.
They opened the scoring after three minutes when Spalding were caught offside at a ruck and the penalty was successfully converted.
Town were struggling to gain any decent territory, with Belper always on the front foot. With minutes on the clock, the home flanker broke through poor tackling in the backs to score by the posts and a couple of minutes later they created a three on one to go 17 points up.
Spalding rallied without any real threat to the home team, but a real positive was the lineout with Haighton and Waltham excelling.
However, the backs were unable to use this good ball to any telling effect.
Just before half time Belper spun the ball along the backs for their left winger to score and the Elephants were trailing by 21 points.
The half-time talk by coach George Reid and captain Adams seemed to produce a result, as Spalding initially upped their intensity and took the game to Belper with the forwards now making inroads with their carries.
The hosts conceded a series of penalties and, with their lineout possession, Spalding threatened. But the final execution, either in the forwards or in the backs, was missing.
Finally, scrum-half Will Shields took a quick tap penalty and, with Belper unable to tackle for ten metres, he was over for Spalding’s only try of the afternoon.
However, in the last quarter Belper benefitted from Town’s ineffective tackling in midfield with a further three tries.
On the day, Spalding’s lack of intensity at the start let their hosts dictate affairs and, once they had conceded the early scores, it was always difficult to make any inroads.
They we also guilty of some ineffective passing and winger Ben Shields hardly saw the ball all afternoon, while Gav Sharman and Adam McHugh also had very limited opportunities to show their pace and strength.
Spalding RFC take a break from league action on Saturday when they visit Skegness (3pm).
Town: Josh Caley, John Barrett, Jacob Greaves, Kev Hudson, Mark Haighton, Richard Grew, Tim Waltham, Jason Steels, Will Shields, Dan Adams (captain), Gav Sharman, Connal Mason, Tom Wilson, Ben Shields and Adam McHugh.
Results: Midlands Three East (North): Bakewell Mannerians 18 Ashfield 26; Belper 43 Spalding 5; Kesteven 13 Rolls Royce 0; Mansfield 22 Nottingham Moderns 15; Nottingham Casuals 54 Tupton 7.
