A breathtaking first 30 minutes from Loughborough gave them a bonus point win at promotion challenging Ilkeston.

After 30 minutes 'Boro were 27 - 0 up with a bonus point secured, and despite the fact the home side worked their way back into the game going down hill in the second half, 'Boro were able to keep hold of the lead and eventually win the game by a comfortable 15 point margin.

The early exchanges were dominated by Ilkeston with their ball retention skills meaning that 'Boro spent a number of minutes defending on the half way line, but when the turn over did come, and excellent up and under from debutant Sam Whiting lead to 'Boro setting up a ruck just 5 metres from the Ilkeston line, which after two phases lead to a try for Andrew Price.

Then just 7 minutes later, with 'Boro playing a style of rugby missing since last years promotion winning exploits, an attack down the right hand side lead to a try for Jonny Sykes who made his Saracens Academy debut in mid week, with Whiting, Steven Sands and James Brind all involved in the build up.

At this point 'Boro were beginning to take complete control of the game, and the third try came on 18 minutes, when excellent link up work from Brind and Andrew York gave Aaron Brown a try underneath the posts. Sykes converted, and then minutes later added a penalty to extend the lead to 20 points.

The game then began to settle down, but Ilkeston were already having to try and force the game to get back into it, which lead to Steven Sands picking off a pass and running in unopposed underneath the posts to give 'Boro, who had only scored 3 tries in the last 3 games, a bonus point. Sykes converted.

This was the last time 'Boro would score however until late into the second half, with Ilkeston proving how a top half time will strike when giving the opportunity, scoring tries just before and after half time, both of which were converted meaning that suddenly the lead was only 13 points.

With 'Boro struggling to get out of their own half Ilkeston continued to attack and 'Boro's defence manahed to hold strong for 20 minutes before the home scored down the left hand side. Crucially however the conversion was missed and 'Boro were still more than a converted try up.

'Boro knew how crucial the final 15 minutes were in shaping the rest of the season, and from the restart they managed to camp themselves inside the Ilkeston half. This pressure led to a fifth try with a training ground move allowing Tom Hamilton to score his first try for 1st XV. Sykes converted leaving the final score at 34 - 19.

After the game coach Chris Campbell said; 'for the first time this year I think we really played to our potential and the first 30 minutes was probably the best performance I have seen in my time here. What was most pleasing about today however, was that Sam Whiting, Tom Hamilton and Lewis Waters, all who have been regular second team players this year, contributed to this victory, giving a lot of credit to the 2nd XV and the work Rich Allen, their coach is doing with them'.

Next week 'Boro are at home to Leighton Buzzard, kicking off at 2.15pm.

Loughborough: Sykes, Sands, Buckley, A Brown, Hamilton; Whiting, J Brind (rep Waters 53); Bartlett, Goddard, Gunton, Grice, Roberts (rep Pears 60), Ash, Price, York (c) (rep P Brown 65).