Kesteven 10
Spalding RFC 12
Revitalised Spalding RFC got their season under way with a sensational last-minute win over hosts Kesteven in the Lincolnshire Cup on Saturday.
Trailing by five points with seconds to play, Ash Piccaver broke through the cover defence on the five-metre line, crossed the try line and ran behind the posts to present James West with his first successful kick of the afternoon to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.
With pre-season training concentrating on fitness under the direction of Scott Miller from Heroes Gym and with the coaching team of Ben Williams, Deborah Phillips and Jim Williams developing the player’s individual skills and tactics, everybody was looking forward to this local derby.
New skipper Sam Cooke led the players onto the field alongside newly-appointed vice captain Adam McHugh.
Playing against the wind, an early pattern of play was established with the Spalding forwards driving forward to be met by a competitive set of Kesteven forwards, who also had the edge in experience.
As a result, the home team had several penalties awarded to them at the breakdown – and with good lineout ball being won, Spalding’s defence was soon being tested.
Will Shields, at scrum-half was having a difficult time with little guard defence protection from his forwards at the breakdown – and with a shoulder injury sustained on the half an hour he was replaced by the experienced Rob Lucas, with Ryan Chappell coming off the subs bench to play centre and Ben Hoyles dropping to full-back.
The Spalding scrum was starting to creak – and with a scrum awarded to Kesteven on Town’s five-metre line, their blindside flanker pounced on a loose ball to score the opening unconverted try.
After the break, it was the home team who started the better.
A lineout was awarded to them on the 22-metre line seven minutes after the restart and their prop burst through with the ball to add an unconverted and extend the Kesteven lead to 10-0.
Worse was to follow, as a dump tackle from flanker Jay Harwood saw him awarded a yellow card and a couple of minutes later he was joined by Chappell for a high tackle.
For the next eight minutes Spalding hung on with just 13 players on the field.
Although under pressure, the scrum just about held and the three quarters pressed and tackled, depriving the home team of any points.
With Spalding back up to strength it was the turn of Kesteven to lose a forward for interference at the ruck.
Within a minute Spalding turned defence into attack and great hands saw Jay Harwood burst down the left wing. As the cover defence came in a great inside pass saw Chappell crash over with less than three minutes left to play for an unconverted try.
Town failed to take advantage of a penalty kick for touch, but a poor restart kick by Kesteven handed possession back to them.
They went through several phases of play as they probed for a last ditch opening. Piccaver, using his strength and speed, found a weakness and burst through the Kesteven cover defence to touch down for the winning converted try as the referee blew the final whistle.
Town head coach Ben Williams said: “This will give this young team early season confidence, together with some good positives coming out of the match – but with areas still to work on back at training.
“The lads fitness was impressive and a big thanks goes to Heroes Gym for this positive”
Spalding RFC: Josh Caley, Sam Cooke, Jacob Hutson, Ash Piccaver, Mark Haighton, Jordan Templar, Jay Harwood, Harry Brown, Will Shields, James West, Chris Douglas, Adam McHugh, Ben Hoyles, Charlie Seconde, Rob Lucas. Bench: John Barrett, Brian Browne, Ryan Chappell and George Douglas.
