Spalding RFC 36
Wisbech 19
Spalding RFC kicked off their pre-season schedule with a fine friendly victory over old foes Wisbech on Saturday.
It has been many years since the rivals met each other in a fixture, but Wisbech play in Eastern Counties Division Three – which is the same standard as Town’s Midlands Three East (North) level.
That meant that the clash was always likely to be competitive, so there was a good crowd at the Memorial Field to take in the first rugby of the new season.
From the kick-off Spalding were soon into their stride, always getting to the breakdown first and quickly closing down any threat from Wisbech with their press defence.
In fact, for the first 20 minutes, Wisbech struggled to get out of their half and only solid defence kept the home side at bay.
Scrum-half Will Shields eventually broke the deadlock as he sped through the middle of the park to score under the posts, with Willis Ingleby converting.
Ben Williamson started at fly-half and was easing himself into the position when, executing a tackle, he sustained a bad shoulder injury – resulting in a visit to the hospital. That saw Ingleby move to fly-half.
With their confidence up, the pre-season training moves started to emerge as Town moved the ball along the backs against the larger and heavier Wisbech pack.
Centre George Brown crashed through the initial defence, straightened the line and released Ingleby to go under the posts. And, with the conversion added, a cushion of 14 points had been established.
Wisbech were certainly finding it hard going and even their heavier pack of forwards were being out-scrummaged with better technique by the home team.
Last year’s record try scorer, Gav Sharman, then showed his predatory instinct with a try in the corner five minutes before half time.
Coach George Reid made changes at half time but it wasn’t long before captain Dan Adams sliced open the Wisbech defence through the centre to establish a dominant lead.
However, the away side started to use their forwards to carry the ball exposing Spalding tackling as they built momentum and two good tries saw them back in the game.
But Spalding’s backs always looked to have more craft and speed. Indeed, centre Wilson broke through, and released George Brown, who in turn passed to Sharman to run in his second of the afternoon.
Spalding’s forwards, not to be outdone, were also showing their pace and strength with good breaks by front row Barrett and the back three of Jason Steels, Ash Anker and Harry Brown.
But it was Ash Piccaver who broke through the Wisbech defence from the half way line and looked clear to run to the try line.
He didn’t quite make it as a tap tackle saw him offload to Harry Brown, who in turn sent excellent pass to put Sharman in for his hat-trick.
The away side did have the final word when, from a lineout deep into Spalding’s half, their forwards crashed over the line.
Next up for Town is an away trip to King’s Lynn on Saturday.
Spalding RFC: Hudson, Barrett, Greaves, Waltham, Piccaver, Steels, Anker, H Brown, W Shields, Williamson, Sharman, G Brown, Adams (captain), Callaby, Peters, Caley, Haighton, Ingleby, Mason, Wilson, Christmas, B Shields.
