Bugbrooke 30
Spalding RFC 22
With two early season wins in the league, Spalding travelled over to Bugbrooke near Northampton for their first ever league encounter with the home team, who had lost both their opening games.
With a large home crowd due to their annual beer fest and three other games already played, the scene was set for a challenging afternoon.
The opening few minutes were not the best for Spalding, giving away three penalties, thereby conceding possession and territory and with the third penalty successfully slotted between the posts the home team had a three-point advantage.
They built on this advantage with a turnover in open play to score their first try and with a conversion, after ten minutes the home team were up by ten points.
Spalding’s scrum was going well with the front row of Sam Cowell, Ash Anker and captain Luke Turner supported by locks Macaulay Crane and George Douglas having a slight advantage all afternoon.
This was giving scrum half Jim Wraith and Taylor Crowson at fly half the opportunity to spread the ball out to the centres, and half way through the first half outside centre Gav Sharman, wide on the left wing, outpaced everybody for Spalding’s opening try.
However Bugbrooke continued to benefit from refereeing decisions – with one successful penalty and a missed tackle on the wing in the final minute of the first half saw Bugbrooke with their second try and a lead of 18-5.
Spalding’s lineout with Will Shields and George Douglas was performing well and from lineout possession, a maul drove forward with Anker finishing off for Spalding’s second try shortly after Bugbrooke had been reduced to 14 players with a yellow card.
Then with an injury to one of the home team’s front row, the scrums went uncontested for a short period which was to Spalding’s disadvantage.
Although a man down, the home team were spreading the ball around with some confidence and their right wing scored in the corner followed shortly by a kick through on the left, bounced kindly for Bugbrooke, to score their fourth try and with a conversion a 20-point lead had suddenly opened up for the home team with 25 minutes of play remaining.
Spalding took control of the game with their forwards featuring strongly with forceful carries and a succession of pick and goes saw Sam Cowell go over and with centre Conall Mason kicking the conversion Spalding’s confidence was lifted.
They were back in the game and two minutes later Sharman outpaced Bugbrooke defence out wide and despite a high tackle around the neck that near took his head off, he still managed to touch down for Spalding’s fourth try.
The last minutes of the game saw Spalding completely on top, hammering away on Bugbrooke’s try line as the forwards took it in turns with big carries but the home team’s defence held and when Spalding eventually were over the try line in the dying seconds the referee called “ball held up.”
Team: Sam Cowell, Ash Anker, Luke Turner, Macauley Crane, George Douglas, Ed Williams, Will Shields, George Brown, Jim Wraith, Taylor Crowson, Conall Mason, Gav Sharman, Reece Callaby, Ryan Firth Subs Adam Sutcliffe, Tom Parker, Wilson Crowson.
