Rolls Royce 1st XV 11 v Belper 1st XV 22

This was the second meeting of the season between these two sides, earlier this season the teams had drawn 5-5 in a friendly but this was the league, both sides wanted it and Royces dominated the first half with their big pack forcing Belper's hand.

Belper opened the scoring with a penalty in front of the posts after good backs work and handling on the floor from the Royce's defence.

Royces piled on the pressure for most of the half with Belper tackling superbly around the park with Inns , Coombes, Holmes and Naylor tackling like demons. Despite Royce's pressure they only managed 2 penalty scores and at half time following further dogged defending Belper were still in the game.

The second half started with Royces again coming out strong and within minutes of the restart Royces went over to take the lead to 11-3.

Belper's main concern throughout the first half had been the running of Royce's full back, and the defences inability to defend with a flat attacking defence, this was excellently remedied with N Coombes and Emslie crunching any runner coming through the middle and, as Royces continued to meet a wall of resistance,Belper finally got their attack together, from a ruck deep in Belper's half Naylor spun the ball out to Dymond who popped to Emslie who took the ball on, side-stepping his opposite number then popping to N Coombes who drew his man releasing Gray who out paced everybody to run in 50 yards and score under the posts Dymond slotted the conversion and Belper were within touching distance of Royces.

With 60 minutes gone following much deliberation the call was made to change something in the backs and with A Laven on the line it had to happen sooner or later, N Coombes made way for Laven who slotted in at outside center, within minutes of Laven being on the pitch a clever miss ball from Dymond found Laven who stepped inside his opposite number and ran through the gap created to make 30 yards, he then took the tackle, with Adams, Omara and Holmes close at hand clearing up, Inns picked up driving into Royce's 22 then popped out to England who crashed through 3 tackles and dragged 2 defenders with him as he powered over to give Belper the lead, Dymond then slotted the conversion 17-11.

Royces tried to come back at Belper but the flat line defence kept stepping up into their faces and knocked them back, Belper's fitness was now showing with the ball being moved all over the place and Naylor and Dymond were creating space and gaps everywhere. The final try was the best of the game with the ball being won in Belper's half from a line-out Naylor fed Dymond who in turn moved the ball to Emslie who drew his player popping to Inns who returned the ball inside to Laven, who jinxed through 2 defenders feeding Adams who took the ball to ground then popped to Holmes who spun to Laven who popped out Garret who sprinted in to score in the corner. 22-11

Belper nearly replicated the try with Emslie being adjudged to have dropped the ball when it had clearly been put down but Belper were delighted with the result and the sheer second half determination. With young Naylor winning Man of the Match for his awsome all round display.