Spalding Rugby Club draw with Stockwood Park in Counties 1 Midlands East (South)

Spalding's extraordinary sequence of drawn games continued at Stockwood Park on Saturday.

Stalemates are very rare during a rugby campaign with the odd exception during a season.

However, Saturday's 28-28 draw was the fourth time this term that the Elephants had shared the spoils in Counties 1 Midlands East (South).

This was a game that Spalding clearly should have won but they were not clinical enough with their scoring opportunities.

Towards the end of the match, they should have closed down the game with better tactical decisions to protect their second 14-point lead of the contest before their Luton-based hosts levelled late on.

Spalding started brightly with flowing rugby and, within two minutes, a penalty kick by Conall Mason hit the upright before bouncing back into play.

The visitors kept Stockwood pinned back in their own half for the opening 10 minutes with Luke Turner and Henry Hobson prominent with their carries.

Lachlan Summers set up a ruck position with a forceful burst and a good pass from the base by Jim Wraith saw Jack Patrick and Sam Christie combine on the left wing.

Despite being tackled just short of the try line, Wraith finished off for a converted score.

Stockwood were being completely outplayed and five minutes later Mason made a break, kicked through into the dead ball area with Stockwood touching down just ahead of Christie.

The drop out kick was caught by Willis Ingleby who sliced through the home team's defence by evading two tackles to score and, with a simple conversion, Spalding had a 14-point lead after 15 minutes.

The restart kick by Stockwood was well caught by George Douglas but there was crossing in front by Spalding and a penalty was conceded which was kicked to touch for a lineout.

The lineout was secured and the ball moved out to the backs who cut back inside for a converted try.

Within two minutes, good back play by Stockwood saw them score under the posts to level the score at 14-14.

Play became more open but Spalding continued to be the better team with Harry Brett and Tomas Parker combining to bring the best out of Stockwood's defence.

Spalding lost Summers to a yellow card for a high tackle but with 14 players they should have made more from an attacking lineout on Stockwood's five metre line.

The whistle blew for half-time with Sam Cowell coming off the bench for the second half to replace Parker.

A bright start by Spalding saw them awarded a penalty kick for a high tackle which saw Stockwood down to 14 players for 10 minutes with Summers having returned.

A deep kick to touch bore no fruit but 10 minutes into the second half another penalty kick was moved deep to the corner.

Both Brett and Douglas were winning good ball at the lineouts and Spalding were again foiled with their drives for the line.

Finally Spalding's hard work and pressure paid off as Jack Grundy went over for a converted try and shortly afterwards, while playing advantage, Ingleby sailed over the try line for the visitors' fourth converted score and a 14-point lead.

Ryan Firth then replaced Henry Duce at full-back and Ollie Machin slotted in on the wing.

Stockwood had a penalty kick to touch but the lineout ball was won by Spalding on their 22 line.

However, instead of a clearance kick down field, the ball was passed along the line and Summers knocked on when tackled.

Scrum possession went to Stockwood and a cutback by their inside centre left Spalding's defence exposed for a converted try.

Spalding again had the restart and the opportunity to kick downfield but a scrum was conceded.

Stockwood drove down the middle with pick-and-goes to score under the posts to draw the game as the final whistle blew.

The draw leaves Spalding seventh in the league table with the last game at home against second-placed Vipers on Saturday, April 5, which will be another good test to end the campaign.

Spalding: Tomas Parker, Tom Rollinson, Luke Turner, George Douglas, Henry Hobson, Harry Brett, Lachlan Summers, Jack Grundy, Jim Wraith, Willis Ingleby, Dam Christie, Conall Mason, Jack Patrick, Gav Sharman, Henry Duce. Subs: Sam Cowell, Ryan Firth, Ollie Machin.