London Scottish 24-36 Nottingham (RFU Championship) 19.02.22

Nottingham beat bottom side London Scottish in Richmond to stretch the gap on themselves and the team below them in the Championship table to a huge 18 points with sights now on those above for Coach Craig Hammond and his team.

An entertaining opening half saw the away side draw first blood as Archie Vanes went over on thirteen but in missing the conversion, Morgan Bunting couldn’t put Nottingham seven up.

On 23 a penalty to London Scottish was dispatched by Sheppard before David Williams touched down the Archers second of the day just two minutes later, this time the kick good from Bunting.

The home team reduced the deficit with a converted try themselves just four minutes before the break but a try by Toby Williams on the stroke of half time, driving over the line gave Nottingham a seven-point lead at the interval. Bunting’s kick again unsuccessful.

That lead was soon cancelled out six minutes into the second half as Noah Ferdinand ran onto a kick in behind with Shepherd the provider also kicking the extras.

Nottingham however were back on top soon after when Vanes got his second of the day and a bonus point try for the Archers on 57 minutes, Hollingsworth on kicking duties dispatched the conversion to regain the seven-point-lead.

That lead stretched further to twelve on 66 when David Williams went over before a home team try following a penalty had the score back to just five with seven nervous minutes remaining.

A penalty conceded for offside however allowed Nottingham to kick into the corner and Graham was next to go over with the maul pushing the Archers across the line, a twelve-point advantage helped with the conversion by Hollingsworth to secure a second successive win.

Nottingham stay tenth in the table but are just a point now below Coventry in ninth and are three from Richmond who they play in a fortnight at Lady Bay. Next up Bedford Blues on Sunday with a victory very much a realistic target.

Starting Team: Toby Williams, Archie Vanes, David Williams, Scott Hall, Callum Allen, Carl Kirwan, Nathan Tweedy, Josh Poullet, Michael Stronge, Morgan Bunting, Harry Graham, Charlie Tacker, Elliot Creed, David Williams, Jack Stapley.

Replacements: Finn Thomas, Aniseko Sio, Josh McNulty, Suvwe Obano, Sam Edwards, Sam Hollingsworth, Lewis Barrett.

*Main image @NottinghamRugby a second successive win for Nottingham in the Championship.