Midlands 6 East (NW)
JC Balls Belper 1st XV 50pts v All Spartans 1st XV 0pts

Belper's new season started similarly to last year with Spartans providing the opening fixture again.
Belper had lost top try scorer Gray with a hamstring pull and Blake having gone to further his rugby with Matlock first team.
They looked quite different in the backs but they were fired up from the start, wanting to put last season's disappointment behind them and they put Spartans to the sword, particularly in the second half.

After Bennion and Lewis had nearly opened up the visiting defence with some good strong running, Belper opened the scoring on eight minutes following some good ball retention in the forwards, Blount slotting home a penalty home from the angle.
Minutes later Belper scored their first try with T Holmes taking the ball on, popping it up to M Holmes who was tackled short setting the ruck up, the ball was spun wide from Naylor at scrum half to Blackwell who popped to the on running Tennick and he stumbled past his opposite number, looking like he was going to get tide up but poor tackle allowed him to ship the ball to

Lewis who crashed over the line to score in the corner for 8-0.
Belper stepped up a gear and moved the ball around well with Blackwell controlling the three quarter line well, picking out players at will and peppering the visiting 22 with some fine high kicks which caused all kinds of problems.
England and Holmes retained possession well in the ruck and from a good England run, the ball was moved wide to Dyson who outpaced his opposite number to score under the posts.Blount slotted the conversion for 15-0, a lead they held to half time.

The second half started well with Belper chasing their kick down well. Holmes and Blount caused problems to the Spartan catcher who fumbled. Sisson picked up and set the ruck from which the ball was spun wide to Blackwell who switched to Blount. He sprinted in under the posts and then converted his own try for 22-0.
Spartans kept going at Belper, using their well worked maul time and time again to move up the field and were unlucky not to score on a couple of occasions but Belper's defensive line held firm with Sisson, Blount and Dakin putting big hits in to send attacking players backwards in the tackle.

After a spell of Belper trying to over elaborate in search of more tries, they did add another when good line out work from Sisson disrupted the visiting line and he picked up a loose ball coming from a knock down and sprinted 30 yards down the line, stepping inside his opposite number, drawing a defender and popping the ball out wide to Lewis who set up Adams to run in from 15 metres for his first score for the club under the posts. Blount converted for 29-0.

The hosts continued to pressure and scored again with Lewis going in under the posts. Naylor picked up and fed Blackwell who scored under the posts before the final try came with England scoring a well worked team try under the posts.
Blount converted all three tries to finish the game with 20 points from flanker as Belper notched up half a century of points.

Belper firsts have no scheduled game this Saturday but are home to Chesterfield on Saturday, September 29.