Rasen 1XV 37 - 0 Belgrave 1XV

Midlands 2 East (North) results and table

After a close encounter in the away fixture, the red and greens were expecting a tough game against their Leicestershire visitors, but this never really materialised as the home forwards dominated their counterparts and starved their youthful backline of any meaningful possession. The tone of the game was set from the kick off as Belgrave failed to make the requisite ten metres and Rasen were soon on the front foot enabling Paul Cook to land a penalty in the fifth minute.

Whilst it took some time for Rasen to establish their dominance, the writing was on the wall for Belgrave in the first quarter when they were forced to make a prop substitution to counteract the power of the home eight. From a ruck, scrumhalf Andy Neesham launched what looked like an innocuous kick, but the Belgrave winger made a hash of gathering it and winger Adam Dearden was on hand to snaffle the loose ball to register the first try of the match.

With an abundance of possession Rasen had the perfect platform to launch a series of attacks and an incisive run by rampaging flanker Dave Starling cut the visitors defence apart before he offloaded to the hard working lock Rob Mitchell to crash over the whitewash.

Next it was the turn of centre James Bemrose to leave the defence floundering with a searing break, but unfortunately he was unable to capitalise on this, sending his pass behind winger Chris Green and the chance was gone. However Rasen were now camped in the Belgrave twenty-two and the juggernaut pack steamrollered the opposition to drive Starling over the line with Cook adding the extras from the conversion.

The departure of fullback Ernie Thompson through injury forced a reshuffle in the backs with flanker Starling pulled out of the pack into the centre and Bemrose dropping into the vacant fullback berth. However this had a negligible effect on the cutting edge of the team and following a superb handling move, centre Cook made a telling break before off loading to Starling for his second try. Cook added the conversion and the half ended with Rasen 27 - 0 ahead.

With a high scoring first half, the crowd were expecting more of the same in the second, but Belgrave had other ideas and through some dogged defence managed to keep Rasen at bay for much of the second period albeit that the home team had the territorial superiority.

The half started brightly with an early penalty kick to touch putting Rasen within sight of the Belgrave line. At the resultant line out, strike runners from the pack were placed strategically amongst the backs causing Belgrave to misinterpret Rasen's attacking intentions, and a quick throw to the shortened line caught them unawares to allow substitute Leigh Dearden to crash over almost unopposed.

Rasen dominated the play in the same manner as they had done in the first half, but the visitor's defence held firm until veteran scrum half Neesham rolled back the years and broke clear. Knowing his ageing legs wouldn't take him the full distance, the wily old campaigner slowed up for his support to arrive and swift transference of the ball thereafter created the space for Cook to score in the twenty eighth minute.

The match fizzled out as Belgrave gamely tried to counter attack with the little possession they could muster, but apart from a ten minute period of pressure earlier in the half, they never really looked like scoring, which was testament to stranglehold exerted by the red and green forwards throughout the game.

Team: Cole, Oliver, Wootton, Mitchell, Thornes, Chamberlin, Starling, Hutchinson, Neesham A, John, Green, Cook, Bemrose, Dearden A, Thompson
Subs (all used): Burgess, Dearden L, Nicholls