The Voice of Spalding and South Holland
Spalding 43
Old Laurentians 7
Spalding welcomed Old Laurentians from Rugby to Centenary Park with the visitors one place above the home team in Midlands Counties 1 East (South).
The visitors kicked off facing a strong wind and within two minutes had been pinned back deep in their half after a 50-20 kick by Conall Mason giving Spalding the lineout.
With an excellent take by George Douglas, the forwards rumbled their way towards the try line with Sam Cowell finishing off the drive over the try.
A successful conversion by Mason and Spalding were seven points ahead.
Spalding monopolised possession for the next 20 minutes, with Laurentians unable to make clearance kicks into the wind.
But Spalding were wasteful in possession, with passes not going to hand and the visitors were determined to stay in the game.
With Spalding threatening again, the ball went loose inside the visitors’ 22.
The tables were suddenly turned with their first counterattack down the left wing.
Spalding defence was exposed, Laurentians were scoring under the posts and the game was level pegging.
However, this was the visitors’ only foray into Spalding’s territory during the first half.
Confidence was starting to flow in the backs and a turnover won at the breakdown by Jack Grundy saw inside centre Mason burst through the middle, breaking a couple of tackles and he was over the line and with his conversion, the lead was regained after 30 minutes of play.
Another score soon followed. Fly half Willis Ingleby with a lateral run had his pass knocked on.
Scrums were going well for the home team and Grundy at the base picked up and forced his way over.
With half time approaching Spalding had a Laurentians’ scrum on retreat and possession won.
Jim Wraith, scrum half with a good pass out to Ingleby and the ball then flowed along the backs to left wing Sam Christie who with scorching pace rounded the defence giving Spalding a lead of 24 points to 7 at half time.
Spalding fluffed the restart kick for the second half, but the Spalding’s dominant scrum had the visitors’ pack motoring backwards and penalty awarded.
It was now the turn of the forwards to pick and go, retaining possession as the gain field position and hooker Ask Anker with pace broke several tackles to score by the posts to set the tone for the second half.
Prop Sam Cowell made several penetrating runs and lock Zokas Raimondas was now also making good ground.
But the backs had right wing Ben Shields stopped short of the try line. Then, fullback Jack Patrick on one of several runs from deep, sliced through Laurentians’ defence at pace for Spalding’s fifth try and before the final whistle Ingleby through a dummy pass, opened a gap in the defence and cut back inside to score by the posts.
Successful conversion and Spalding had won a good mid table battle by 43 points to 7.
An outstanding performance by Spalding in the second half into the strong wind, especially not conceding any points.
Next week Spalding travel to Old Laurentians kick off 3pm.
Team: Sam Cowell, Ash Anker, Luke Turner, George Douglas, Zokas Raimondas, Fergus McKerracher, Will Shields, Jack Grundy, Jim Wraith, Ben Shields, Conall Mason, Adam Sutcliffe, Sam Christie, Jack Patrick Subs Miguel Da Silva, Alex Worth, Taylor Crowson.
