Belper 1st XV14pts Southwell 1st XV 13pts
This narrow victory was not pretty but it kept
Belper in touch with the promotion race in Notts, Lincs and Derbyshire One.
The early exchanges saw both sides make mistakes before Belper gradually began
to exert control.
A powerful run saw Simon Cooke burst through for the opening try before Southwell
replied with a converted try to move in front.
Alister Teager kicked a penalty to give Belper an 8 - 7 half-time advantage
but the home side then conceded too many penalties to hand the initiative to
Southwell.
Teager kicked another penalty to make the score 13 - 11 and five minutes from
the end he landed his third to secure the win.
Belper 1st XV14pts Southwell 1st XV 13pts
Not a game for the purists, but the two points
from this narrow victory were vital if Belper are to have any say in the end
of season promotion places.
The early exchanges saw both sides make mistakes at vital stages, with passes
going at crucial times, knock-ons and over running of the ball. Gradually Belper
began to exert some control and a powerful run saw Simon Cooke burst through
for the opening try. Southwell then replied with a converted try, but Belper
came back to lead 8 - 7 at half time with a penalty from Alister Teager.
Ill-discipline then nearly cost Belper the game as they gave away too many penalties
themselves, going behind 10 - 8, and after another successful kick from Alister
Teager 13 - 11.
Belper then worked really hard to break down the visitors defence, but they
were all to often allowed to kill the ball at rucks, whilst their half backs
and back row seemed to spend the game in front of the off side line, unpenalised,
to make it very difficult for the Belper team to set up good attacking positions.
Mitch Town, Darren Butler and Merv Holmes all made some good ground, but could
not quite set up attacking positions quickly enough to beat the offside defence.
Simon Cooke nearly repeated his first half effort, only getting hauled down
just short of the line, and it looked like the visitors might hold out.
Belper nearly missed a penalty and then five minutes from the end forced another,
which Alister Teager converted to give Belper the lead, which they anxiously
held to the final whistle.
Not a pretty spectacle, but the end result of two points looked as good as any
won during the season.
Belper 2nd XV10pts Donnington 3rd XV 24pts
Again a closer game than the final score suggests, with Belper playing their
part fully in this entertaining match.
Belper led for much of the first half, with a try from Craig Culshaw converted
by Andy Birchett.
Eventually the visitors replied with a try, but Birchett restored Belper's lead
with a penalty from the touch line.
With the pack providing some good ball, Belper backs found the small pitch restricted
their style, and too often the inside centres ran across the pitch giving their
outsides no room in which to play.
Eventually some odd defensive formations allowed the visitors to break out and
score.
Two tries in two minutes sealed the result, despite some spirited play from
Phil Robinson in the from row, Martyn Robinson and Geoff Hornby in the back
row and Jim Kenning in the backs.