Rugby

Spalding RFC were unable to rip up the Midlands Two East (North) form book as they slipped to a 25-7 defeat at promotion hopefuls Ashbourne on Saturday. Town, who remain three points above relegation rivals Mansfield, have now played one more game than the Nottinghamshire side – who occupy the last spot in the drop zone. The Elephants have just ...

Skipper Sam Cooke accepts that any points Spalding RFC can manage to pick up against Ashbourne will be a big bonus to their Midlands Two East (North) survival bid. Two of Town’s remaining six games this season are against the fourth-placed outfit, starting with a trip to Derbyshire this Saturday (2.15pm). Ashbourne remain very much in the title picture with ...

Teenage Spalding RFC talent Adam Castle is waiting to discover if he’s earned an England Counties under-18 call-up after impressing while representing the Midlands. Castle was selected for the Midlands under-18 side after a successful season playing for the Nottinghamshire, Lincolnshire, Derbyshire under-18s team. He had two trials during December and January, where Midlands selectors narrowed down over 60 players ...

Spalding RFC 5 Southwell RFC 7 Spalding RFC slipped to a potentially costly defeat in their bid for Midlands Two East (North) survival on Saturday as Southwell edged a tight tussle at the Memorial Field. Scoreless at half time, Town battled back from conceding a converted try in the second half when Harry Sharman went over – but, crucially Tom ...

Spalding RFC failed to build on the momentum gained by last weekend’s key away win as they slipped to a 7-5 defeat against Southwell at the Memorial Field on Saturday. Skipper Sam Cooke had targeted the home clash as one of four games that Town needed to win in order to beat the drop in Midlands Two East (N), but ...

Sam Cooke reckons that four wins from Spalding RFC’s final seven games should see them avoid the dreaded drop from Midlands Two East (North). The skipper was talking after seeing his side earn their first away victory of the campaign at Nottingham Casuals on Saturday  – a result that saw them climb out of the drop zone for the first ...

Nottingham Casuals 17 Spalding RFC 23 Resurgent Spalding RFC stormed to their first Midlands Two East (N) away win of the season on Saturday as they climbed out of the drop zone. Tries from Ed Booth, Harry Sharman, Adam McHugh and Dan Adams earned Town a vital 23-17 success at relegation rivals Nottingham Casuals and saw them leapfrog fellow strugglers ...

Spalding RFC climbed out for the Midlands Two East (North) relegation zone with a game-changing 23-17 win at Nottingham Casuals on Saturday. The timely victory is Town’s first away victory in the league this season – and gives them genuine hope of beating the drop with seven games left to play. The win in Nottinghamshire sees the Elephants leapfrog Mansfield ...

Passionate Spalding RFC skipper Sam Cooke has issued a battle cry to his side ahead of Saturday’s crucial trip to relegation rivals Nottingham Casuals. With eight games left to play, ninth-placed Casuals are one of the few teams that relegation-threatened Town can realistically look to overhaul before the end of the season. The Elephants are still without an away win ...

Spalding RFC were left kicking their heels on Saturday after their trip to Ashbourne was rained off – but there was some good news for them elsewhere in Midlands Two East (North). Chief relegation rivals Mansfield were beaten 25-0 at Melbourne, meaning Town are just three points behind them with a game in hand. Spalding hope to return to action ...

Spalding RFC are suffering from an untimely selection crisis ahead of Saturday’s Midlands Two East (North) trip to Ashbourne (2.15pm). Relegation-threatened Town are without a host of key players for the game in Derbyshire as they bid to earn that elusive first away win of the campaign. Among those to be unavailable are key men Harry Sharman, Ryan Chappell, Ash ...

Spalding RFC have paid a fitting tribute to chairman Geof Nichols, who died on Friday after an 18-month battle with leukaemia. Geof, who was associated with Town for 35 years, spent more than two decades as chairman. A minute’s silence in honour of Geof, who was 72, was held before Spalding’s 20-17 defeat against Melbourne at the Memorial Field on ...

Spalding RFC 17 Melbourne RFC 20 On a day overshadowed by the death of respected chairman Geof Nichols, Spalding RFC slipped to a potentially costly 20-17 defeat against Midlands Town East (North) relegation rivals Melbourne on Saturday. A minute of silence was held as mark of respect to Town’s late chairman (see story, above) – and sadly the Elephants couldn’t ...

Spalding RFC were beaten 20-17 by Midlands Two East (North) relegation rivals Melbourne on Saturday – just hours after the death of chairman Geof Nichols. Town, who had won four home games on the bounce, had led 12-6 at half time thanks to tries from Harry Sharman and Taylor Crowson. Sharman added another try in the second period, but they ...

The pressure is very much on Spalding RFC to keep their fine run of home form in Midlands Two East (North) going this weekend. Town are in the drop zone ahead of Saturday’s Memorial Field battle with relegation rivals Melbourne (2.15pm) – some seven points behind their visitors. Lose, and Spalding will give one of their main rivals a serious ...

Market Bosworth 44 Spalding RFC 7 It was very much a case of déjà vu for Spalding RFC on Saturday as they suffered an all too familiar 44-7 defeat at high-flying Midlands Two East (North) high-fliers Market Bosworth. Just like in their last away game at table-topping Dronfield, Town’s solid first-half showing counted for little as belligerent Bosworth ran in ...

Spalding RFC were handed a 44-7 defeat at Midlands Two East (North) high-fliers Market Bosworth on Saturday. The defeat keeps Town in the bottom two and ensures that their wait for a first away win drags on for another week. With relegation rivals Mansfield losing and fellow strugglers Melbourne without a match, it’s pretty much as you were at the ...

Bullish captain Sam Cooke has told his Spalding RFC side to end their away drought at Market Bosworth on Saturday (2.15pm). Town have yet to register an away win in Midlands Two East (North) this season, a run that has been a major factor in seeing them spend the entire season in the relegation zone. However, Saturday’s dramatic 9-8 win ...

Spalding RFC 9 Mansfield RFC 8 Harry Harrison’s second-half penalty earned Spalding RFC the narrowest of wins over fellow strugglers Mansfield on Saturday – and eased any lingering relegation fears. Town made it three wins from their last four Midlands Two East (North) games with a gritty 9-8 triumph at the Memorial Field, with James West kicking the other six ...

Spalding RFC battled to their fourth Midlands Two East (North) win of the season on Saturday as they edged out fellow strugglers Mansfield 9-8 at the Memorial Field. Two penalties from James West and a decisive second-half kick from Harry Harrison saw Town home, despite a try from Mansfield’s Ollie Stamford. The victory moves the mighty Elephants to within three points ...