Rugby Report: Papworth hat-trick seals emphatic win for Lincoln’s 1st XV

Nico Papworth crossed for a hat-trick as Lincoln’s 1st XV boosted their survival hopes with a thumping 69-10 win against bottom club Ashfield.

Lincoln opened the scoring after eight minutes when Matt Keeton powered over for a try, which Richie Dixon converted.

The hosts increased their lead when one of their stand-out performers Ben Sykes dodged and weaved his way through the defence from his own 22, outpacing the remaining chasing players to run in for a try. Dixon once again added the extras.

Both teams lost a player to the sin bin after a melee before Mitch Ashworth was given a yellow card soon after, which the referee said was for a swinging arm in a tackle.

Keeton powered over for his second try, which Dixon converted, before Louie Cooke ran down the wing and outpaced the defence to score soon after. However, Cooke pulled his hamstring in the process and had to be substituted.

David Beveridge offloaded for Dan Hill to run in for a try as Lincoln took a 31-0 lead in at the break.

Sykes ran in for his second try, which Dixon converted, before Daniel Oakes crossed for Ashfield’s first score of the match. Captain Lewis Wilson then set up a try for Papworth and Dixon added the conversion.

Josh Heald crossed for a consolation try for Ashfield before Lincoln increased their lead.

Brandon Hogan broke two tackles to go over for a try near the corner, which Dixon converted. Papworth then set up Laurence Few to dive over for an unconverted try.

Lincoln completed the scoring as Papworth ran in two great tries late on to complete his hat-trick, with Dixon adding one conversion.

A passionate and determined Lincoln Imps XV came from behind to beat Southwell 17-13 in the semi-final of the NLD 2nd XV Cup.

Lincoln fell behind to a Joe Cook try and Paul Rich’s penalty and conversion.

The hosts reduced the deficit when Grant Laws made a diving offload in the tackle to set up George Pomfret, who stepped a player and handed off another to run in for a great try.

Rich extended Southwell’s lead with another penalty in the second half, but Lincoln showed great grit and determination to turn the match around.

Alex Brodrick offloaded the ball to James Johnson, who ran at two defenders and forced his way over for a try.

Lincoln completed the comeback when Eddy Jopling picked up the ball from the base of a ruck to dive over for a try.

Brodrick successfully slotted over the conversion before Lincoln held off a late Southwell fightback to secure their place in the final.

Boston Ladies captain Hannah Booth crossed for two tries as availability-hit Lincoln fell to a 19-5 defeat at Boston.

Lincoln duo Emily Nelson and Chloe Siddall both played their first ever games of rugby and Alex Langford made her debut for the club.

Lincoln opened the scoring inside the first five minutes when Lynne Brooker-Brown took a quick tap penalty and team-mate Ruth Denham helped force her over the line for a try.

Boston began to grow into the game and, after a dummy pass, Booth ran straight through the defence for a try which she also converted.

Booth found a gap in the defence from a ruck to run in for another try, which she converted to give Boston a 14-5 lead going in at the break.

Lincoln came close to scoring on a few occasions in the second half, but a good move through the hands of the Boston backs set up a try for Jess Lester to secure victory for the hosts.

Boston had more success at the weekend as prop James Griffin made his competitive debut for England Deaf Rugby Union in a 15-12 win against Wales on Sunday.

Luke Wells scored two tries, and William Dark added one conversion, as Lincoln’s Colts drew 12-12 against Nottingham Corsairs in the third round of the Under-18 National Cup. Corsairs progress to the next round as a National Cup ruling awards the win to the away team in the event of a draw.

Joe Thompson crossed for four tries as Lincoln’s Under-15s won 52-0 at Cleethorpes. Flynn Smith grabbed two tries and Leo Audis and Louis Johnson each scored one. Thompson added six conversions.

Other Results

In National League Two (North), Will Scammell scored a try for the second successive match during Scunthorpe’s 28-17 defeat against Huddersfield.

Will Robinson and Grant Elliott also scored tries for Scunthorpe and Paul Cook added one conversion.

Spalding booked their place in the RFU Midlands Vase Final after a 10-0 win against Buxton.

Ed Booth scored both tries for the Lincolnshire side who will play against Dunstablians in the final.

Bourne’s first team were not in action, but the 2nd XV narrowly lost 22-15 against Corby. Dave Maudsley grabbed two tries and Kieran McFarlane scored one.

Grimsby’s 1st XV were not in action at the weekend, but the second team won 19-10 at Goole in the East Yorkshire Merit League. Kieran Dinnes, Pete Shaw and Josh Rose scored Grimsby’s tries and Stu Saunders added two conversions.

Ben Shaw crossed for six tries as Cleethorpes’ 2nd XV claimed an emphatic 90-5 win against Horncastle.

In Midlands Four East (North), a late Lewis Haigh penalty saw Skegness snatch a dramatic 20-17 victory at North Hykeham.

Paul Bud, Gareth Alder-Woolf and Jack Thomas scored the tries for North Hykeham, with the latter adding one conversion.

Colin Haigh and Liam Barnard scored Skegness’ tries, with Lewis Haigh kicking two conversions and two penalties.

Jack Osborne crossed for two tries as Sleaford claimed a 30-14 home win against Meden Vale.

Curtis Key, Shaun Fisher and Sam Harris scored Sleaford’s other tries, with Wayne Harley kicking one conversion and a penalty.

Sleaford held a minute’s applause before the match and took a collection for the family in memory of former player Kyle Brown, who died in a crash on New Year’s Eve. A GoFundMe page has already raised over £3,000 in Kyle’s memory.

Robbie Goodyear scored a try, conversion and two penalties as Gainsborough lost 24-13 at Tupton.

Stamford College Old Boys booked their place in the NLD Vase Final with a 24-0 victory at Bingham.

Cat Walker, Callum Fraser, James Twose and Haydn Johns scored Stamford’s tries, with the latter also adding two conversions.

In the Women’s NC2 North (East), Jess Taylor scored the visitor’s only try of the match as Kesteven Ladies lost 30-5 at Hull Ioanians.

Scunthorpe Ladies battled hard throughout the match and put pressure on Doncaster’s defence during a 34-0 defeat.