Having convincingly defeated Ashby early in the season at home 52-0, there was a level of expectation as Spalding took to the field.
In the front row Zane Berge was making his debut, Connor Broome returning after injury and Jack Patrick slotting into the back row instead of his normal outside centre position. Overall the team looked in good shape.
In muddy conditions and a slight slope advantage Spalding were soon on the attack after Ashby’s kick off with
Lachlan Summers leading the way, forcing his way through tackles before laying it back for Will Shields playing scrum half, to start the next phase of play.
With field position gain, the ball was lost in the tackle and the home side’s fly half kicked to touch for a Spalding lineout.
George Douglas secured the ball and after a number of phases by the Spalding forwards it was Summers who drove over for the opening unconverted try.
Ashby’s back row were making big carries but centres Sam Booth and Henry Duce were up in the opposition’s faces making good tackles along with flanker Ryan Firth.
In fact for the first 15 minutes the home side never managed enter Spalding’s 22.
Spalding’s momentum continued. An Ashby lineout near their five metre line was overshot, Patrick caught the overthrow and dived over the try line with fly half Ingleby converting for a 12-point lead.
Ashby’s strength was in their forwards with Spalding struggling to hold their push in the scrums in the muddy conditions. But when Spalding had the ball in open play they looked dangerous.
Playing advantage, Ingleby dinked the ball over Ashby’s defence, Patrick gathered and offloaded back to Ingleby to score under the posts followed by an easy conversion.
Spalding went into half time with a 19-point lead.
The second half was a different story with Ashby’s forwards making big yardage with their carries taking two, three or four Spalding players to affect a tackle.
Additionally, with Spalding under pressure, the penalty count them against started to mount up.
Seven minutes into the second half with field position and a scrum ten metres from the try line, not for the first time, the scrum collapsed under Ashby pressure.
The referee awarded a penalty try but within five minutes there was a Spalding response.
Tom Parker replaced injured Broome in the front row and straight into a Spalding scrum on Ashby’s five metre line.
The scrum held, number eight Jack Grundy picked up, drove down the blind side through three defenders to squeeze over the line. Try bonus point secured and with Ingleby converting, Spalding’s lead back up to 17 points.
Conall Mason came off the bench replacing Grundy, but into the last quarter of the game Ashby’s right wing evaded three missed tackles to score out wide.
Ashby were pressing again and centre Booth was caught offside and yellow carded, with Spalding playing the last nine minutes a player short.
In the dying seconds Ashby’s forwards using their pick and go brought it’s final reward with a dive over the try line.
The conversion kick sailed over and the referee blew for time.
During the game Spalding’s wingers Gav Sharman and Ben Shields rarely received a pass, normally a Spalding strength.
Next week is the postponed home game, up at Centenary Park against Loughborough Students and Spalding will need to step up a few gears to match the students’ enthusiasm and fitness.
Team: Connor Broome, Elliot Humphreys, Zane Berge, George Douglas, Lachlan Summers Ryan Firth, Jack Patrick, Jack Grundy, Will Shields, Willis Ingleby, Gav Sharman, Sam Booth, Henry Duce, Ben Shields, Ollie Machin. Subs: Tom Parker, Alexander Creak, Conall Mason.
