Rasen 1XV 16 - 20 Spalding 1XV

Midlands 2 East (North) results and table

Spalding travelled to Willingham Road in a top of table clash that saw the league fortress broken for the first time in over 2 seasons. It leaves us tying for second with today's victors on league points but a tight defence means a better points difference leaves Rasen claiming second place.

With Spalding being the only side to inflict a defeat on Rasen in the league this season and lying just two points behind the red and greens, this was always going to be a tough encounter. The visitors began the game with vigour and soon had Rasen on the back foot following a series of drives from their forwards. With only five minutes gone the red and greens succumbed to the relentless Spalding forwards and conceded a penalty in front of their posts, which was duly converted to give the fen men an early lead.

The first quarter was dominated by Spalding as their backs and forwards alike created havoc and Rasen were forced into a rearguard action to keep them at bay. However as the half progressed Rasen regained their composure and their game started to function in its usual efficient manner as the forwards began to get the measure of their opponents.

A strong scrum deep in the Spalding twenty two provided the springboard for skipper Dean Hutchinson to pick up at number eight and take the ball blind before passing to Andy Neesham to score in the corner in the twenty third minute.

As the first quarter had belonged to Spalding, the second saw Rasen in the ascendancy and it was the visitors who were struggling to get out of their own half. Another powerful scrummage produced quality ball for the backs and an inside pass to blindside winger Nick Harvey resulted in the flyer scything across the face of the Spalding backline to score in the opposite corner. Harvey was injured in the act of scoring as the truculent Spalding winger unnecessarily dropped his knee into his side as he dived for the line. The half drew to a close with Rasen ahead by 10 - 3 and seemingly taking control of the game.

The red and greens started the second half in much the same way as Spalding had the first and soon had the visitors back pedalling. Within three minutes Paul Cook landed his first successful kick of the day from a penalty and it looked like another famous victory was on the cards. However inexplicably Rasen then seemed to hit the self destruct button and entered a period of the game that was to prove crucial to their downfall.

From the restart Dave Starling fielded the ball then uncharacteristically kicked it downfield only for Spalding to gather the ball cleanly and mount a counter attack that was assisted by the absence of any meaningful tackling from the home defence. A try to Spalding and the lead was cut to five points. Rasen were stunned, but forced their way back into Spalding territory where the visitors' flanker played the ball once too often on the ground and received his marching orders from the referee to spend ten minutes in the sin bin. From the ensuing penalty Cook narrowly missed the kick, but Spalding reacted quickly to take a long drop out, which the Rasen defenders were unable to gather and the bobbling ball was pounced upon by the Spalding attackers. Quick hands from the visitors resulted in a second try close to the posts with an easy kick for the conversion to put Spalding into the lead.

Controversy soon followed as Rasen thought they had scored following some good work from the forwards, but the referee couldn't see if there had been downward pressure and bizarrely consulted the Spalding touch judge, a man whose myopia had denied Rasen a try in the away encounter.

The red and greens kept working to bridge the gap and were eventually rewarded as Cook landed a penalty to give them a slender one point lead with nine minutes left. Spalding were in no mood to lie down and accept defeat. With time ticking away they launched a series of concerted drives from their forwards, carefully keeping control of the ball as they inched their way to the Rasen line. Eventually the defence was breached and Spalding snatched the decisive try leaving Rasen no time to mount any serious attacks.

This game was a paradox, at half time Rasen seemed to be in full control and heading to victory, but poor kicking and tackling let Spalding back into the game. Hopefully lessons will be learned from this game that will enable the team to grow stronger.

Team: Wootton, Oliver, Nicholls, McCardie, Mitchell, Chamberlin, Starling, Hutchinson, Neesham A, John, Everton, Cook, Bemrose, Harvey, Neesham M Subs (not used): Mannion, Matts, Thorns