Loughborough Uni 2nd 44
Spalding 12
Life seemed a bit unfair for Spalding last Saturday, playing away against Loughborough University 2nd – a young and exciting outfit, full of energy – just a week after an opening day defeat in Counties One Midlands East to Nottingham University 1st.
During the academic year Loughborough University field up to ten rugby teams and have superb sporting facilities to support their students.
With five changes to the starting line-up from last week including Luke Turner and Tom Rollinson returning to the front row, Spalding kicked off on the artificial pitch. It was a solid start but the Uni were soon in their stride, turning the ball over at the ruck, spreading the ball wide and driving for the try line but great defence by Alex Worth and Will Shields held the ball up.
After eight minutes a successful penalty kick gave the Uni an early lead.
Spalding had a clear advantage in the scrums, giving scrum-half Ben Shields good ball for fly-half Willis Ingleby to bring backs Sam Booth and Ryan Firth into play.
The first clear break, however, brought the first Uni try. Midway through the first half, it was scored down the wing following a penalty and the ball being played quickly and passed down the backs to the left winger to touch down.
In patches Spalding were also playing good rugby, with flankers Will Shields and Jack Patrick challenging every breakdown, well supported by vigorous clearing out by lock Jordan Templer. Spalding had worked their way into the Uni 22 with the forwards combining good carries and good handling with Shields going over wide on the left.
With half time approaching, poor defence and missed tackles let the students score under the posts to make the score 15-5.
The second half was a really positive start for Spalding with a succession of scrums five metres out from the try line but the clinical finishing required to capitalise was missing from their play – or possibly good defending by the Uni. However, the students, when in their stride, were extremely pacy, scoring their third try of the afternoon.
Spalding were not finished and as Patrick made headway into the Uni 22, a horrible tip tackle dumped him on his head. This caused a kerfuffle between the players, the Uni tackler receiving only a yellow card, whilst Rollinson also received yellow for a rather soft shove.
Full-back Ollie Machin was making some decisive breaks as he joined the centres with pace.
Then, in the last quarter, the Uni students ran in four unanswered tries using their pace out wide.
But Spalding came away with the last score of the game as the Uni infringed several times, not retreating ten metres from a penalty and with the Uni posts beckoning, Ingleby took a quick tap penalty and sailed over the try line for a converted try.
The players will all be looking forward to Saturday’s home cup game against a traditional community rugby club, Keyworth.
Spalding: Parker, Rollinson, Turner, Worth, Templer, Patrick, Will Shields, Grundy, Ben Shields, Ingleby, Christie, Booth, Firth, Duce, Machin. Subs: Lewis, Humphrey, Josceyne.
