Spalding RFC 7
Scunthorpe RUFC 76
There was no fairy-tale start to 2016 for Spalding RFC as higher-graded Scunthorpe RUFC cruised to a 76-7 Lincs Cup quarter-final success at the Memorial Field on Saturday.
Town came into the last eight showdown on fine form, having won their last two Midlands Two East (North) games of 2015.
But they proved no match for a strong Scunthorpe side who are riding high in third place in the National League Three Midlands division.
The visitors fielded many of their regular first team players – including all their regular forwards, who went on to dominate the game by scoring all but one of their tries.
The game kicked off in surprisingly good conditions and the Scunthorpe forwards immediately showed their intent with a driving maul, which could not be contained by Spalding’s defence.
The opening try duly arrived after four minutes, scored by the number eight.
Town’s response to the early setback was impressive as they battled and tackled for every ball. Spalding’s scrum was constantly being put under pressure by the Scunthorpe pack, as they were on average two stone heavier per person, fit and powerful.
Town’s front five of Pete Waudby, skipper Sam Cooke, Sam Cowell, later replaced by Jay Harwood, Mickey Watts and Jordan Templer showed tremendous determination throughout the afternoon despite being put under severe pressure.
Likewise, at every lineout Scunthorpe were showing their class, skill and height advantage making retention of the ball by Spalding on their own ball extremely difficult.
This superiority was illustrated mid-way through the first half when Town did not challenge at the throw in but left a gap for Scunthorpe’s flanker to exploit and score
By half time the opposition forwards had scored six tries, including a hat-trick by their number eight, giving them a 40-0 lead at the break.
The second half started in similar vein with Scunthorpe’s flanker scoring.
However, Spalding’s back row of Ash Anker, Harry Sharman and Tom Duerden were constantly in the thick of the things.
Duerden, on his return to the side, was carrying the ball particularly well, gaining territory, offloading or setting up rucks for another phase.
Territory was not one-sided and Spalding in phases were taking the game to Scunthorpe testing their defence, which finally cracked with Anker, with a man-of-the-match performance, going over for Spalding’s only try and James West converting.
Richard Cooke, captain of the second side, playing scrum half, with regular scrum half Will Sheilds on the wing, was constantly probing around the fringes and causing problems.
Scunthorpe’s forwards continued to demonstrate their level of execution with further tries whenever they were within striking distance of the Spalding line.
A stand-out feature in the match for Spalding was how the reshuffled backs, organised by West at fly-half, with Harry Lane and Harry Harrison as centres, constantly closed down the space giving no room for their opposite numbers, to throw the ball around, with hardly a tackle missed and no tries being scored from open play by the Scunthorpe backs.
The match finished with a rousing five-minute response by Spalding, with the Scunthorpe try line under severe pressure.
Duerden was stopped on the line twice with Waudby and Cooke also stopped inches short, but Scunthorpe illustrated they were also not too shabby with their tackling and try line defence.
Spalding RFC: Pete Waudby, Sam Cooke, Sam Cowell, Mikey Watts, Jordan Templer, Ash Anker, Harry Sharman, Tom Duerden, Richard Cooke, James West, Will Shields, Harry Lane, Harry Harrison, George Douglas and Josh Broome. Subs: Jay Harwood, John Barrett, Josh Caley and Harry Brown.
