Spalding travelled to Towcester will two good performances behind them against stiffer opposition but with this week’s match returning to the league programme and against a team along side Spalding in the league there were high expectations. But they did not last for long. With a side still well short of its best players and availabilities affecting the selection process it was good to see Ollie Phillips on the bench after injury and Thom Williamson, making a return appearance on a visit home from Australia, started at full back and had some influence over the afternoon’s proceedings. The two clubs had previously played in a cup match which went to extra time before Towcestrians were declared winners 20 – 17 with only two minutes of extra time left at the end of the match. The current match was different. The home side kicked off and the exchange referee from Bristol put his stamp on the game from the start by recalling, as one of the home side players was offside, a decision he made on at least two more occasions of restarts. Both sides started with some expansive play and the ball flowing freely, but it was the home side that crossed the line first. A throw in by Spalding was adjudged to be not straight and from the resulting scrum Towcestrians won the ball, their scrum-half drew his man, passed to his winger who then had a clear run through to touch down in the corner. The conversion missed its target but six minutes had gone b y and the home side had a 5 – 0 lead. From the restart Spalding secured the ball and play went deep into the Towcestrians half. Spalding were awarded a penalty, but it was not to be the best day for their kicker, and as a result the ball went wide. Within a few minutes Spalding were awarded another penalty but again the ball went wide of its mark. Spalding came under pressure but fullback Williamson gathered the ball deep in his own 22 metre area and launched an attack. He interchanged passes with winger Kevin Childs before passing inside for the ever present Ash Anker to score at the opposite end. But the opportunity to add the conversion went wide again leaving the score 5 -5 all after the first quarter. Spalding spectators were starting to count the missed opportunities. From the restart again the referee was penalising a home player for off side. Spalding won the ball and again Williamson and Childs linked together to make good ground.But the ball was lost and play returned to the visitors half. The home side knocked on leaving Spalding a scrum on their own 22 metre line. The referee ruled a crooked feed from the Spalding scrum half leaving Towcestrains an easy conversion in front of the posts. With 25 minutes of the first half been played and the score at 8 – 5. Again Spalding were penalised leaving the home kicker a difficult chance but he had no problem moving the score along to 11 – 5 and the first half was drawing to a close. Towestrians took play deep into the Spalding 22 area and the visitors survived some severe pressure from the home-side before the referee blew for half time.
Spalding started the second half and were soon putting pressure on the Towcestrian defence. First of all winger George Brown was stopped five metres short of the line. Then it was the opportunity for Spalding’s other winger to be involved. Childs linked with Williamson on the right side of the pitch. Williamson used his speed and guile to touch down over the line, but the referee again made his presence felt, disallowing the try but giving Spalding a penalty 10 metres out. This decision bewildered the Spalding team and supporters alike. The moment had gone and the uphill battle for Spalding just seemed to get steeper. Penalties were now coming thick and fast for both sides. The home-side kicked deep into their opponents half and found touch. A catch and drive by their forwards powered them over the Spalding try line. Leaving a simple conversion and taking the score to 18 – 5 with just over ten minutes of the match left. From the restart an adjudged collapsed scrum saw the Spalding prop receive a yellow card, giving the Towester side a penalty which their kicker confidently converted with only 5 minutes of the match left and the side’s lead stretched to 21 – 5. Spalding re-started and the ball went loose in the opposition half. Spalding pounced on the loose ball with fly half Hankinson using his speed and determination to touch down just to the right of the posts. This time Hankinson had no problem with the conversion and with just two minutes of the match left the score was now 21 – 12 and although Spalding again tried to raise their efforts in the final minutes it was the Towcestrian defence that held out denying their visitors even a bonus point.

Spalding RFC: Harry Sharman (captain), ant buckberry, Crane, Andy Branton, Mark Haighton, Andy Hoyles, Ant Asher, Ed Duerden, Rob Lucas, Dav Hankinson, George Brown, Sion Williams, Ryan Chappell, Kevin Childs, Thom Williamson, Jimmy Rowlands, Ollie Phillips, Adam McHugh.