Skegness Gallop to Easy Victory

Skegness 2nd 26 XV 41 Spalding 2nd  XV

Reported by Iain Cameron

With the eyes and wallets of the nation firmly fixed on Aintree on Saturday afternoon, Spalding offered a much safer bet than Cloudy Lane as Skegness hosted county rivals for this inter-club match.

Admittedly, odds of 7 – 1 on the away side would have looked miserly, particularly to those following rugby’s form book this season.

Without the benefit of a handicapper, this always looked like a one-horse race but while Spalding may consider themselves to be the thoroughbred, Skegness refused to play the role of seaside donkey.

The hard ground may have been Lincolnshire’s rather than Liverpool’s but the Blue and Whites hoped that, allied to a strong head wind, it would prove to be Spalding’s Beecher’s Brook, enabling the visitors to record a Foinavon style surprise.

Unfortunately, this was not to be the case, on a day when dark horses proved to be fast out of the gate but whose stamina was found wanting down the finishing straight.

Despite supplying the first team with numerous players skipper Cameron still fielded a team with three replacements, a testimony to the growing popularity of rugby in the town. The game began in front of a hardy bunch of spectators, all of whom anticipated a photo finish.

The ground may have been hard but, from the ‘off’, the going was good for Skegness as the Seasiders took immediate control. Using the elements to good effect the Blue and Whites galloped into opposition territory and when Keith Dobson was on hand to gather the loose ball, he full-back jockeyed for position before passing, to the supporting Ben Frost. Spalding tried to shut the stable door but the horse had already bolted and the prop scored at a canter. The successful conversion put the hosts 7 – 0 up.

With Neil Fitz and Tim Farnsworth doing a classic job of supporting and lifting, Ashley Dennis won the majority of the line-out ball and with utility player Trev Hill anchoring the scrum Skegness had the better of the possession on the first circuit and scored twice more.

First, the Seasider’s pack produced good first-phase possession. Nightgingale’s beautifully timed pass released Cameron into space. Showing a clean pair of hooves, the fly-hand scored at a canter. Converting his own try Cameron extended Skegness’ lead to 14 lengths.

Then, after great defensive work from John Hummell and Dan Jenkins had blunted the visitors attack, Taylor stole the ball. Despite being deep in his own 22 the prop saw the option of the counter attack. The ball moved quickly through Ollie Groves and Aaron Blackett to Blair. The winger had too much pace and left a trail of defenders in his wake to leave Spalding bewildered and 21 - 0.

Spalding threatened a fight back as their powerful runners broke through some tentative tackling. Three tries of their own before the end of the half left the runners neck and neck at 21 – 17.

During half-time three Skegness players ‘pulled-up’ and were replaced by Ian Johnson, Nick Turner and Kyle Willoughby. After the restart, any thoughts Skegness had of stampeding their opponents was dealt a blow by a quick score by the away side.

Midway round the second circuit, the Seasiders lost their talismanic skipper when the Spalding runner, galloping up field, mistook the number 10 for The Chair and tried to hurdle him. As a result of the collision, Cameron was severely dazed. “We were relieved it was only his head he hurt,” remarked one concerned onlooker. “If it had been somewhere that would have hurt he might have had to be put down.”

Further Spalding tries followed before Skegness got back on the scoresheet. Unfortunately for the blue and whites, the finishing line came just to soon for those who had backed them ‘on the nose’.

Skegness: B. Frost, J. Hummell, R. Taylor, N. Fitz, T. Farnsworth, A. Dennis, (I. Johnson) D. Jenkins (N. Turner), T. Hill, M. Nightingale, J. Cameron, Blair, O. Groves, A. Blackett, (K. Willoughby), K. Hannah, K. Dobson.