Rugby Report: Cup victory for Lincoln men’s first team

Two tries from Josh Pratt guided Lincoln’s men’s 1st XV through to the next round of the RFU Intermediate Cup with a 30-15 home victory over Earlsdon.

Lincoln went into the game against their opponents, who are fourth in Midlands Two West (South), looking to bounce back after their recent league defeat at Dronfield.

The hosts started strongly and raced into a 10-0 lead inside the opening 10 minutes. James Kirk slotted over an early penalty before converting Lincoln’s opening try of the match, which was scored by Will Scammell.

Grant Cowe fielded a kick and made a strong carry before offloading to young debutant Tom Dowdy. Dowdy carried for a few metres and drew a player in before offloading to Scammell, who ran round the full-back and managed to slide over the line after a last ditch tackle from one of the opposition players.

Lincoln extended their lead as a cross field kick from Kirk set up Pratt to run in for a try. Kirk once again added the extras before later slotting over another penalty.

Earlsdon reduced the deficit with a converted try as Lincoln took a 20-7 lead in at the break.

The visitors cut the gap further with a penalty before crossing for an unconverted try in the early stages of the second half.

Lincoln made sure the visitors’ attempted comeback was short lived as they went blind off a well-worked scrum to put Pratt in for his second try of the match after 66 minutes, which Kirk converted.

Kirk slotted over a penalty nine minutes from time to secure the victory and put Lincoln in the draw for the next round of the cup.

After the match try scorer Scammell said: “It was a good performance all round from the team,” said Scammell. “We had a strong start and finish to the game with a patch in the middle which could have turned the game on its head, but a solid defence when we needed it won the game for us.

“The conditions were in our favour. The firm pitch at Lincoln and relatively dry ball really plays to our strengths in the back line and it’s good to see us bag a few tries.”

Lincoln’s Director of Rugby Chris Barrett paid tribute to the opposition thanking them for “stopping behind after the game and having a few beers with everyone”.

A combined Lincoln 3rd XV and veterans players’ side had a club bonding game against a veterans/coachs’ team.

Barrett added: “We are building on the new turn around and the new bonding throughout the club. It is a really great club to be a part of and the family feeling is coming with a bang.”

Lincoln’s 1st XV return to league action on Saturday with the visit of Ilkeston. Lincoln Imps XV will travel to face Sutton Bonington Students, while the third team are set to host Southwell. Lincoln Ladies travel to face Silbey on Sunday.

OTHER RESULTS Market Rasen & Louth were given a home walkover in their cup tie against Coalville as the opposition conceded.

Bourne claimed a 57-0 home win in their RFU Senior Vase match against county rivals Sleaford on Saturday. JD Charlton and Chris Warnes each crossed for two tries, while Harry Thornburn, Sam Harby, Adam Binns and Josh Lynch grabbed a try apiece. Scrum-half Sam Evison kicked Bourne’s remaining points via conversions and a penalty.

Sam Olliver scored the only try of the match for Sleaford Ladies in their 48-5 defeat at Mellish on Sunday.

Kesteven’s men’s first team were without a match at the weekend, but their 2nd XV claimed a positive result with a 43-17 victory against Nottingham Corsairs.

Spalding led 24-14 at half-time of their NLD Shield second round clash against Newark, but ended up falling to narrow 33-31 defeat.

Sam Cooke and Gareth Alder-Woolf crossed for a try apiece for North Hykeham, with Rob Booth adding both conversions and a penalty, but it wasn’t enough to prevent a narrow 27-17 cup defeat at Rugby Welsh.

Boston’s man of the match Matt Bray helped the 1st XV to a 26-21 victory in a friendly against Thetford. Sam Hughes and John Hummel scored the tries, with Bray converting both and slotting over four penalties. Boston’s 2nd XV won 17-5 in a friendly away at Horncastle thanks to tries from George Stanfield and Robbie Jones, with Colin Smith adding two conversions and a penalty.

Gainsborough claimed a 23-18 win in their NLD Vase clash away at Keyworth, with tries from Mark Ellis and Damien Hart. Robbie Goodyear kicked two conversions and three penalties. Skegness had no game after Horncastle conceded their match.