Rugby

Spalding RFC 21 Dronfield 30 Spalding RFC are pointless after two Midlands Two East (North) games following a 30-21 Memorial Field defeat against Dronfield on Saturday. The clash was the main event of Town’s President’s Weekend, but they were unable to deliver the victory that the large crowd craved. Kick-off was delayed by 45 minutes with the late arrival of ...

Spalding RFC suffered a 30-21 defeat against Dronfield in their first home game of the new Midlands Two East (North) season. Town were hoping to bounce back after their opening-day defeat at Coalville, but tries from Ash Piccaver, Taylor Crowson and Will Shields weren’t enough at the Memorial Field. Spalding, who also saw Harry Sharman taken off injured,  are one ...

Skipper Sam Cooke wants Spalding RFC to lay down a marker in their first home fixture of the Midlands Two East (North) campaign on Saturday. Town are looking to bounce back from last weekend’s 36-14 loss at Coalville (see page 43) when they welcome Dronfield to the Memorial Field (3pm). It’s the main event of the club’s President’s Weekend, which ...

Coalville 36 Spalding RFC 14 Two tries from Harry Brown couldn’t prevent Spalding RFC from suffering a 36-14 loss at Coalville on the opening day of the new Midlands Two East (North) campaign. A poor first period was the catalyst for Town’s demise on Saturday – and at one stage in the second half Sam Cooke’s side trailed 36-0. It ...

Spalding RFC were handed a 36-14 beating by hosts Coalville on the first day of the new Midlands Two East (North) season. Now skippered by Sam Cooke, Town also failed to secure a bonus point in Leicestershire. A full match report will be online early next week. RESULTS Midlands Two East (North): Ashbourne 34 West Bridgford 21; Bakewell Mannerians 21 Stamford ...

New Spalding RFC skipper Sam Cooke admits that this season is all about consolidation for his side. One of the best periods in Town’s history came to an abrupt end last year, when the successful team broke up and suffered a torrid time of it in Midlands One East. Relegation to Midlands Two East (North) followed, but Spalding have been ...

Stamford 27 Spalding RFC 10 Two comeback tries from Harry Sharman couldn’t stop Spalding RFC soundly losing an early-season NLD Cup clash with Midlands Two East (North) rivals Stamford on Saturday. Former skipper Sharman, who played at openside flank, was one of a number of new additions to the Town squad to feature – including Kier Moore’s first outing for ...

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 ...

Decorated former captain Harry Sharman is back with Spalding RFC as they prepare for their first competitive game of the new season at Kesteven on Saturday (3pm). Sharman ended a 25-year stint with boyhood club Town in February when he left to join National League Three Midlands leaders South Leicester. He left under something of a cloud, having been stripped ...

By Sarah Charlotte Drew For years, coaches and clubs have been scratching their heads looking for the answer in how to increase girls’ participation in rugby. Lincolnshire teams have struggled to get full teams or even enough numbers to make training sessions worthwhile. Newly-created “hub”, the Lincs Baa Baa’s, could hold the answer. The Lincs Baa Baa’s will be an ...

Belgrave RFC 18 Spalding RFC 23 It’s been a season to forget for Spalding RFC in Midlands One East – but they ended it on a positive note with their first victory in almost a year on Saturday. Having lost all 25 of their previous league games this campaign, victory at fellow relegated side Belgrave at least saw Town avoid ...

Spalding RFC avoided the unwanted accolade of going an entire league campaign without a win as they triumphed 23-19 at Belgrave on the final day of the season. Town’s Saturday success ends a run of 25 Midlands One East defeats on the bounce – and is their first competitive win since seeing off Newbold on Avon in a promotion play-off almost ...

Spalding RFC’s lengthy losing streak in Midlands One East continued on Saturday as they were crushed 72-10 by Bedford Athletic in their final home game of the season. Josh Broome and Sam Cooke went over for tries for Town at the Memorial Field, but the visitors ran riot with 11 scores of their own. That makes it 25 defeats from as many ...

Spalding RFC welcome Bedford Athletic to the Memorial Field on Saturday (3pm) in their final home game of the Midlands One East campaign. Already-relegated Town, who have lost all 24 of their league games to date, are hoping to get that elusive first win in front of their loyal home supporters. It won’t be easy, however, with Bedford arriving in ...

Spalding RFC 10 Bedford Athletic 72 Spalding RFC’s lengthy losing streak in Midlands One East continued on Saturday as they were crushed 72-10 by Bedford Athletic in their final home game of the season. The Memorial Field mauling makes it 25 defeats from as many games for already-relegated Town this campaign. Ash Piccaver was back at lock for Spalding, with ...

Spalding RFC’s talented under-16 side gave a great account of themselves at the annual youth rugby festival in Bournemouth. Town’s teens were in a group with Bournemouth, Kent county champions Sidcup and Windsor in what was a round robin style tournament. First up was a showdown with Windsor, a game played amid driving rain and gusty winds. In the dire ...

Syston RFC 100 Spalding RFC 5 Downtrodden Spalding RFC were hit for a century of points as Syston wrapped up the Midlands One East title in style on Saturday. In truth, the outcome of this match was never in doubt – just the margin of an expected success for Syston, who eased to the bonus-point victory that was required to ...

Saturday proved another day to forget for Spalding RFC as they were handed a huge 100-5 reverse by  Midlands One East leaders Syston. Rock-bottom Town were always massive underdogs against at side that started the day 99 points ahead of them – and so it proved. It’s now 24 losses from as many matches for Ben Williams’ side, with the ...

Head coach Ben Williams is refusing to get too downbeat despite the latest setback in Spalding RFC’s testing season. Saturday’s 53-19 loss at Paviors, one of the weaker sides in Midlands One East, made it 23 losses from as many matches for already-relegated Town. Although he hates losing, the club stalwart was impressed with some of Town’s offensive play. But ...

Spalding Grammar School’s under-15 team produced three excellent performances to win the South Lincolnshire Rugby Sevens competition. Played at Spalding’s Memorial Field, Grammar’s opposition were Thomas Middlecott Academy, The Deepings School and Haven High Academy from Boston. Spalding’s first game against Deepings was an end-to-end encounter and went down to the wire. Grammar needed a late try from Chris Maxwell, ...