Spalding had to work hard to see off the challenge of their Counties 1 Midlands East (North) bottom-placed hosts.
Only four points separated the teams at half-time and the Elephants were under pressure in the second half, playing with only 14 players.
However, a series of stunning counter attacks by the backs brought three tries and a bonus point win.
A reshuffled pack saw Miguel Da Silva starting at prop, Henry Hobson moved to lock, Will Shields returning at open side flanker and Alex Worth starting at no.8, while the backs saw a familiar line-up, apart from Charlie Beecham making a first start on the right wing
The opening ten minutes saw Spalding dominate possession and that brought reward from a line-out won by Henry Hobson. Several drives and rucks saw Spalding edge closer to the try line before scrum half Jim Wraith put full back Ollie Machin through. Willis Ingleby’s conversion gave Spalding the early lead.
Kesteven’s game plan was to use their heavier forwards with carries down the middle of the pitch followed by rucking over the ball for the next carry. However, flankers Shields and Jack Lambe either slowed down the ball or won turnovers to thwart those tactics.
Tom Rollinson was tackled short of Kesteven’s try line but swift passing saw centre Jack Patrick go in between the posts and the conversion turned early territory and possession dominance into points
With Conall Mason on for centre Sam Booth and Elliot Humphreys on for Jordan Templer, who then came back on with Lambe injured, Kesteven start to mount a comeback. Da Silva drew a yellow card for an illegal clear-out and for the last 10 minutes of the first half Spalding defended their try line as if their lives depended upon it.
A converted try and ruck penalty saw the hosts cut the visitors’ lead to four points at the break.
Lock Jordan Templer drew a red card from the referee and with Da Silva still yellow carded, Spalding were down to 13 players for five minutes at the start of the second half. Kesteven’s pressure mounted but wonderful defence by Spalding on their try line held them at bay.
Finally earning a turnover, Ingleby launched a counter attack with centre Patrick running at pace for 40 metres and releasing left wing Alexander Creak to finish the job. An excellent conversion from wide out opened an 11-point lead for Spalding.
It was then survival mode for Spalding as their scrum came under pressure with the battering ram Kesteven forwards being constantly held up by superb defence.
A break from the backs saw left wing Beecham speed away and pass to Patrick, who was caught just short of the try line. He off-loaded back to Beecham to score and another successful conversion put Spalding almost out of reach with 10 minutes remaining.
Beecham’s converted try secured victory before the hosts ran in a converted consolation try.
Elephants: Da Silva, Rollinson, Parker, Templer, Hobson, Lambe, W Shields, Worth, Wraith, Ingleby, Creak, Booth, Patrick, Beecham, Machin. Subs: Humphries, B Shields, Mason.
l A large crowd gathered under the Centenary Park floodlights to see Spalding Colts lose 26-24 in a thrilling encounter against Oundle.
The hosts started well and were rewarded with a try from Lorenzo Denton. A well-worked try from Finlay Roy doubled the advantage but Oundle worked hard to stifle Spalding’s attacks and were rewarded with a converted try just before half time to narrow the gap to 10-7.
Evan Saunders went over the line and added a conversion to put Spalding 10 points clear, but Oundle came back quickly with a try of their own. They scored again and the conversion gave them a 19-17 lead.
Not to be outdone, Spalding regained a narrow lead with a try and conversion from Toby Peacher but eventually Oundle found a way through and a try and conversion gave them victory.
Spalding Colts take on Boston this Friday.
