1XV get first Home 'W' of 2019

Report from 'The Puff'

Camps registered their first league win of the year over a lively and competitive Spartans team that were ahead for most of the game. The game was preceded by a minute’s silence in memory of Club stalwart and life member, David Bancroft who died last weekend.

Camps could have been ahead very early in the game when full back Dan Robinson rounded off an excellent break with a clever kick ahead, which was chased down by centre Mark Lisle. Spartans were able to prevent the score but only by conceding a penalty near their own line. Camps opted for the scrum rather than the shot at goal and the Spartans defence held firm.

Spartans came back strongly and after just failing to score a try when the ball was knocked on close to the line they were awarded a penalty of their own on the 22 and in front of the posts. It was a wobbly kick but went over the bar for a 3-0 lead.

The visitors were now well on top and increased their lead when, after a period of pressure in the home 22,the fly half went over for a try which was just reward for some enterprising play. The conversion only just crept over again but when the visitors were awarded another penalty between the 22 and 10 metre lines, a much more convincing effort made it 13-0 with 25 minutes of the first half played.

Camps finally managed to get on the score sheet via an Ian Briggs penalty and this seemed to give them the impetus required.

An excellent break by winger Ben Summers took Camps into the opposition 22 for the first time in a while and after a couple of good passages of handling fly half George Wilkinson found the gap to go under the posts, untouched. Briggsy made light of the conversion.

The rearranged back line with Wilkinson at 10, Briggsy in the centre and Robinson and Summers returning was beginning to look dangerous and the backs combined to go close again before the whistle went for half time with the visitors leading by 3 points.

The start of the second half was not what was required by the home side as, after attempting to run the ball out of defence rather than kicking clear they found themselves pegged back in their own 22.The pressure from Spartans gave their fly half the opportunity to burst through for a second converted try and a 10 point lead.

Camps managed to claw their way back into the game thanks to a piece of opportunism from lively scrum half, Lloyd Roberts. Despite not being the tallest he managed to charge down an attempted clearance kick and was then adjudged to have got the decisive touch in front of the Spartans defender. Another successful conversion from Briggsy reduced the deficit to 3 points.

The Camp Hill backline continued to show some expansive touches, notably breaks from Robinson and Briggs and when one such move was halted illegally in the Spartans 22,Roberts attempted to take a quick tap only to be thwarted by a non-retreating defender. The punishment was a yellow card and also the loss of the lead as Briggsy kicked the penalty to bring Camps level with 12 minutes to play.

Camps took full advantage of the one man advantage and another fine move amongst the backs created a gap for George Wilkinson (pic) to power over the line for his second try to take Camps into the lead for the first time in the match. Briggsy added the extras to round off a fine comeback in an excellent afternoon of rugby in which the visitors played a full part.

There is no first team game next week with league fixtures resuming on 2nd March away at Stafford.