A Stunning Start to the New Season for Spalding

This was one of the best opening matches by Spalding see for many a year. Combination of a forceful and dominant display by the forwards, which Bakewell just could not live and the cutting edge by the backs produced an outstanding opener.

What a stunner of a start to the league season. Spalding absolutely destroyed Bakewell in the first half with a power display from the forwards including four tries and the backs thoroughly enjoying the space created running in seven tries to send shock waves to all the teams in the league

The game was only a minute old when the forwards stormed into Bakewell territory and scrum half Will Shields span the ball to the backs and outside centre cut back inside to score by the posts and seven points were in the bag.

Ten minutes later Will Shields sniped around the blind side of a ruck, side stepped a couple of tackles and was on the scoreboard. Then left winger Gav Sharman showed he had not lost any of his pace, evading the Bakewell defence for his first try. Fifteen minutes into the game and Spalding were already up by seventeen points, with the visitors in shock and struggling to get out of their own half.

The foundations of the outstanding performance was being laid down by the forwards, who had complete domination in the scrum, were first to the breakdown led by Ash Ankar, who made a complete nuisance of himself all afternoon

This domination was illustrated by Spalding’s front row with first prop Jacob Greaves claiming a try from a ruck a metre out, followed by hooker John Barrett bursting through and with Spalding’s other prop Kev Hudson featuring, the rampage continued

Locks Luke Turner and Harry Brown were thriving on crash ball moves. Open side flanker Jason Steels was next up bursting through Bakewell’s tackles to score followed a minute later by fly half Willis Ingleby using his pace and skills to slice open the visitors defence and with his conversion Spalding had racked up 41 first half points.

Bakewell’s solitary response was a driving maul from a lineout, well converted

At the half time interval coach George Reid rang the changes with Aaron Coupe on for Barrett, Ben Shields replacing his older brother at scrum half and Kieran Bailey replacing lock Luke Turner

To their credit Bakewell responded early in the second half pinning Spalding deep into their twenty two. A series of penalties allowed Bakewell’s fly half to kick to touch on the five metre line and with Spalding adopting a strategy of not contesting the lineout Bakewell finally established another successful driving maul to double their score

Spalding re-awakened, with the forwards re-establishing their authority. Ben Shields found Ingleby in space from a ruck and Captain Dan Adams on a crash ball move through the middle, juggled with the ball and scored under the posts.

Bakewell continued to struggle at the tackle area with Ash Ankar winning a series of turnover balls and, with his forceful carries, had an outstanding game without getting onto the score sheet. Next Gav Sharman rounded a weakening defence for his second try followed minutes later by Harry Sharman throwing a dummy pass and waltzing through the gap to score under the posts

The final action was a delightful opportunistic try by young Ben Shields. Spotting a lack of blind side defence by Bakewell at a ruck he seized his chance to dart for the try line and cut back inside evading some desperate tackles

Before the game Captain Dan Adams had highlighted the potential strength of his squad with its mixture of youth and experience believing they should be capable beating any of the teams in the league.

They certainly delivered.

Team

Kev Hudson, John Barrett, Jacob Greaves, Harry Brown, Luke Turner, Ash Ankar, Jason Steels, Harry Sharman, Will Shields, Willis Ingleby, Conall Mason, Captain Dan Adams, George Brown, Gavin Sharman, Adam McHugh Subs Kieran Bailey, Aaron Coupe, Ben Shields