Long Buckby 17
Spalding 33
Spalding secured their second away win of the season and scored enough tries to secure a bonus point against the Counties One Midlands East (South) division’s bottom side.
Having slipped down to a mid-table position in recent weeks, the trip to Northamptonshire brought a return to form.
The opening quarter of an hour saw some poor discipline by Spalding as they gave away half a dozen penalties, conceding territory.
That was capped when they lost a scrum inside their 22 and the home team gleefully helped themselves to a converted try for any early lead
Matters were not helped when scrum half Jim Wraith was given a yellow card for a high tackle, with Adam Sutcliffe coming off his wing to cover.
Spalding did not panic and started to come into the game and, using the pace of their backs, Jack Patrick made a break. Full back Ryan Firth, on the overlap, had space to go for the line but a last-ditch tackle around the head wiped him out but a penalty try was awarded and the Long Buckby tackler received a yellow card.
Play became fairly open with the home team spurred on by their crowd and it was their forwards who took the game to Spalding, resulting in good tackles in defence from Reece Callaby and Ed Williams.
A strong scrum from Long Buckby saw their forwards drive through tackles and over the try line to open a five-point lead
Spalding’s forwards stepped up their game with Jack Grundy and Luke Turner making some big carries, setting up a position just short of the try line. Buckby killed the ball in a ruck to concede a penalty and quick thinking by fly half Willis Ingleby saw him kick through to the dead ball area and quickly follow up to touch down. Conall Mason’s conversion opened a two-point lead for the visitors.
A Spalding scrum, inside the home team 22, saw the backs spread the ball wide and Sutcliffe scored near the corner and, with a successful conversion by Mason, Spalding went in at half-time nine points to the good.
The strengthening wind was against Spalding, giving Buckby an advantage but the Elephants, now using their forwards to drive up the middle, drew penalties at the breakdown.
With Will Shields jumping at the front and Alex Worth in the middle of the lineout, possession and territory was being gained
With a lineout 10 metres from the try line, the forwards set up a driving maul, stopped short and another carry by prop Sam Cowell saw a ruck just short of the line. However, the forwards then bundled the ball over the try line to increase the lead to 14 points.
Buckby brought their three substitutes on, strengthening their forwards and Spalding were put under pressure from a five-metre lineout. Flanker Callaby received a yellow card and Buckby took a tap penalty to drove over the try line
The referee was fairly liberal with the yellow card and towards the end of the game, with Callaby back on the pitch and Spalding looking to extend their lead, Buckby had two players yellow carded.
With numerical advantage, Spalding capitalised with Worth and Grundy punching holes and gaining territory in the home defence.
Spalding were on the home try line and a further infringement by the hosts saw Ingleby take a quick tap penalty and go over for the fifth try. A simple conversion in front of the posts by Mason saw Spalding confirm a comfortable victory.
Spalding: Cowell, Parker, Turner, Williams, Worth, Callaby, W Shields, Grundy, Wraith, Ingleby, Sutcliffe, Mason, Patrick, B Shields, Firth. Subs: Sharman, Anker, Brown.
Pics by Adrian Smith.
