Spalding Rugby Club beat Long Buckby in Counties 1 Midlands East (South)

Spalding secured their second away win of the Counties 1 Midlands East (South) season after a 17-33 victory at Long Buckby on Saturday.

The success ensured the Elephants bounced back after consecutive league losses to Daventry and Stamford which had seen Spalding drop down to mid-table in the standings.

The opening quarter-of-an-hour saw some poor discipline by Spalding as they gave away half-a-dozen of penalties, thereby conceding territory.

This was capped when they lost a scrum inside their 22 and the home team gleefully helped themselves to a converted try for any early lead.

Matters were not helped when scrum half Jim Wraith was given a yellow card for a high tackle with Adam Sutcliffe coming off his wing to cover.

Spalding did not panic and started to come into the game and, using the pace in their backs, Jack Patrick made a break. With full back Ryan Firth on the overlap, he had space to go for the line but a last ditch tackle around the head wiped him out but a penalty try was awarded and the Long Buckby tackler received a yellow card.

Play was now fairly open with the home team spurred on by their crowd and it was their forwards who took the game to Spalding, calling on good tackles in defence by Reece Callaby and Ed Williams.

However, a strong scrum by Long Buckby saw their forwards drive through tackles and over the try line to open up a five-point lead.

Spalding's forwards stepped up their game with Jack Grundy and Luke Turner making some big carries, setting up a position just short of the try line where Buckby killed the ball in a ruck conceding a penalty.

Quick-thinking by fly-half Willis Ingleby saw him kick through to the dead ball area and this was swiftly followed up to touch-down and, with Conall Mason converting, Spalding had a two-point lead.

With half-time approaching, Spalding had taken control of the game.

A Spalding scrum, inside the home team's 22, saw the backs spread the ball wide and Sutcliffe scored near the corner.

With a successful conversion by Mason, Spalding went in at half time with a nine-point advantage.

The strengthening wind was now against Spalding, giving Buckby an advantage, but the visitors were now using their forwards to drive up the middle, drawing penalties at the breakdown.

With Will Shields jumping at the front and Alex Worth in the middle of the line-out, possession and territory was being gained.

With a line-out 10 metres from the try line, the forwards set up a driving maul which was stopped short but another carry by prop Sam Cowell saw a ruck just short and the forwards then bundled the ball over the try line and the lead was now 14 points.

Buckby brought their three subs onto the field, strengthening their forwards, and Spalding were now under pressure from a five metre line-out and flanker Callaby received a yellow card. The hosts took a tap penalty and drove over the try line.

The referee was fairly liberal with the yellow card and, towards the end of the game with Callaby back on the pitch and Spalding looking to extend their lead, Buckby had two players yellow carded.

With numerical advantage, Spalding capitalised with Worth and Grundy punching holes and gaining territory in Buckby's defence.

Spalding were on the home team's try line and a further infringement by Buckby saw Ingleby take a quick tap penalty and go over for Spalding's fifth try which was sealed by a simple conversion in front of the posts by Mason.

The victory leaves newly-promoted Spalding in sixth spot in the 12-team division.

Their next league match is at home to Stockwood Park on Saturday, November 4.

Spalding: Sam Cowell, Tom Parker, Luke Turner, Ed Williams, Alex Worth, Reece Callaby, Will Shields, Jack Grundy, Jim Wraith, Willis Ingleby, Adam Sutcliffe, Conall Mason, Jack Patrick, Ben Shields, Ryan Firth, Gav Sharman, Ash Anker, George Brown.