Stockwood Park 33
Spalding 14
Spalding travelled to Stockwood Park, Luton, knowing that they had never lost to the home team in league games.
However back in November, at Centenary Park, Spalding scraped home by the narrowest of margins 28-27 so a closely fought game was being expected by all.
Within two minutes of kicking off it looked like Stockwood would be taking the lead with a penalty kick conceded at the breakdown, but the kick sailed wide.
Both teams settled down and the contest was fairly even with Spalding’s scrum – Sam Cowell, Miguel Da Silva and captain Luke Turner in the front row more than holding their own as the home pack tried to exert advantage.
After 13 minutes of play Spalding lit up the game with the best try of the afternoon.
Having won possession just inside their 22, scrum half Jim Wraith, returning after two months out, whipped a good pass to fly half Willis Ingleby running at pace, who then moved it on to centres Conall Mason and Gav Sharman and cleared Stockwood’s initial defence.
Sharman’s pass then put winger Sam Christie in space who out-ran any cover defence scoring near the posts. A Mason conversion gave Spalding a deserved seven-point lead on which to build.
This setback, stirred the home team into action as they started to make inroads into Spalding’s organised defensive line.
They had the confidence to move the ball through their backs to the two wings.
Missed tackles down the right wing resulted in a two-on-one situation facing full back Ed Booth and Stockwood scored their opening try, the conversion levelling the scores.
Shortly afterwards Spalding had Stockwood pinned down near their try line and being awarded a scrum on the five-metre line, but the opportunity was wasted by not being clinical enough.
Towards the end of the first half, the home team had Spalding under pressure through penalties being given away at the breakdown and the referee having to speak to Turner.
A quick tap by Stockwood’s flanker caught Spalding’s defence asleep and with a try conversion the home team went into half time with a 14-7 advantage.
The second half started with a very unfortunate conceded try.
Spalding launched a counter attack with Ben Shields flying down the left, wing with full back Ed Booth in support. The pass back inside went into the hands of the only defender who raced away to score the home team’s third converted try.
Stockwood’s fly half was now in control of the game, either setting his backs running at pace or launching his forwards over the gain line, breaking Spalding’s initial defensive tackles.
In contrast, Spalding were struggling to put together any threats or gain field possession.
Stockwood capitalised on a missed knock on by the referee to score from 15 yards out and shortly afterwards slick passing gave their left winger a scoring chance. With a good conversion the home team were heading for victory with 33-7 up with 20 minutes remaining.
Spalding used their subs bench to bring on fresh legs and Adam Sutcliffe seized on a rare excursion into the home team’s half and from a scrum on the five-metre line forced his way over in the corner. But any comeback was too late.
With George Douglas back in the pack, line outs were far more effective and back row forwards, Alex Worth, Fergus Kerrancher and Will Shields put in good shifts during the afternoon but Spalding’s tactical nous is being tested in this league.
Pre-Christmas Spalding were new to the league, but the opposition teams seemed to have worked out Spalding’s strengths and weaknesses and in the last few games there has also been a drop off in levels during second halves instead of exerting control and going onto to win games.
Team: Sam Cowell, Miguel Da Silva, Luke Turner, Jordan Templer, George Douglas, Fergus McKerrancher, Will Shields, Alex Worth, Jim Wraith, Willis Ingleby, Ben Shields Conall Mason, Gav Sharman, Sam Christie, Ed Booth. Subs Adam Sutcliffe, Jack Patrick.
