Paviors RFC 53
Spalding RFC 19
Spalding RFC’s search for a first win of the Midlands One East season drags on for another week after they went down 53-19 at Paviors on Saturday.
Already-relegated Town have now lost all 23 of their league games this season and are facing up to the prospect of going an entire campaign without registering a success.
As has become the norm this season, Spalding were missing a host of players through injury and unavailability.
That meant head coach Ben Williams was named in the starting line-up just two months after knee surgery, while Jay Harwood returned after an injury that has seen him miss the majority of the season. Amazingly, nine of the 18 players in Town’s matchday squad were 19 or under.
Play was pretty even for the opening 15 minutes, with Spalding holding their own.
However, the hosts punished Town over the next 25 minutes as they ran in six tries and converted three. They exploited some poor defending and missed tackles as they shipped the ball out wide to rack up a 34-0 half-time advantage.
Substitutes Josh Cayley and Jordan Templar (enjoying a first run out for the senior side) came on at half time in front and second row respectively.
That seemed to give Town a boost and they soon got themselves on the scoresheet. Despite being under pressure from Paviors, Josh Broome intercepted a pass and ran the length of the pitch to score. He duly converted to put the first seven points on the board for Spalding.
Paviors returned with pressure and five minutes later Doug Billam was able to score his second try of the afternoon, which was converted.
Spalding maintained heart and held the opposition’s frontline for the next 20 minutes, pressurising their defence with good use of set pieces and holding the scrums – albeit for no reward.
Town were then penalised by a turnover of the ball. It was shipped out wide and, with missed tackles, Ollie Barnes – having just come on as a sub for the home side – scored and was then converted another try.
Following the restart Paviors applied pressure into Spalding’s 22 metre line.
The Town forwards were able to turn the ball over and with a huge clearance kick down field right into the Paviors 22.
Paviors unable to deal with the ball and allowed Broome to pass out to Chris Douglas, who offloaded to Charlie Seconde to score in the corner. The try was not converted.
Spalding were determined to keep Paviors below 50 points, with the forwards working really hard and taking the game into the opposition’s 22 metre line.
Unfortunately it was not to be, with quick passing resulting in an unconverted try, taking the score to 53-12 with seven minutes to go.
Despite that setback, Spalding did not lose heart and grabbed more consolation points in the dying minutes of the game.
Pressure from the forwards allowed vice captain Sam Cooke to crash over the line for a score which was converted.
Despite losing by a 34-point margin, Spalding can take heart from the fact they drew the second half.
There were some positive performances and the young players continue to gain vital experience of playing at such a level.
Spalding have three games left to break their unwanted losing streak, but face a daunting trip to table-toppers Syston next on Saturday (3pm).
