It was a case of ‘Friday Night Delight’ at Lady Bay this past Friday as Nottingham Rugby look to build some momentum heading into the latter stages of the seasons, and did so with an enthralling, 24-12 Championship Cup victory, against visiting Hartpury University.
Victory would see the Archers not only pick up their first win in this seasons competition, but also avenged their mid-November, 33-19, road loss, to a side they swapped places with in the bottom two of Pool A.
Winger, David Williams, would prove the difference-maker for the hosts, he crossing on three occasions, two of which arrived late in the first period, to keep his side in the ascendency, his hat-trick being wrapped up with a little over ten minutes remaining.
A fourth try was also added as hooker Harry Clayton crossed shortly before Williams’ third, with fly-half Samuel Hollingsworth converting on two occasions, Nottingham picking up their first win since October.
Visiting Hartpury, who now prop up Pool A actually scored first, and last, as Luke Stratford crossed before the half hour mark, the hosts themselves being guilty of missing numerous, gilt-edged chances, whilst winger Bradley Denton adding a second in the closing minutes, the same also adding a conversion.
The Nottingham squad, for the visit of Hartpury, was that of – Aniseko Sio, Archie Vanes, Xavier Valentine, Callum Allen, Iosefa Maloney, Jacob Wright, Emeka Ilione, Carl Kirwan, Liam Slatem (C), Morgan Bunting, Marcus Ramage, Jack Neville, Michael Green, David Williams, Sam Hollingsworth
Replacements: Harry Clayton, Toby Williams, Ben Betts, Ross Bundy, Jack Dickinson, Michael Stronge, Javiah Pohe, Ryan Olowofela
The other Pool A game, on Saturday, saw Jersey narrowly defeat leaders Ealing 28-27 at home to move within a point, Ealing on 16, Jersey 15, Nottingham and Hartpury 6 apiece; Craig Hammond’s Archers however will hope, and look, to build on the win when they travel to Ealing this coming weekend.
Looking down the pyramid, in relation to the myriad of Nottinghamshire-based clubs, the two representatives in Regional 1 North-East, Paviors, and West Bridgford, have certainly struggled this campaign and, as clubs enter the final stages, these two make up two-thirds of the bottom three.
Having only collected five wins between them in the league, from a combined, thirty-two games, then the struggle has been real; Paviors were the only one in action at the weekend, and they went down to 46-12 defeat away to Ilkley, Kieron Wells and Christopher Eggleshaw crossing the visitors.
Newark have risen to mid-table in the Regional 2 North Midlands division and picked up their seventh win of the season when home to Oadby Wyggestonians, James Tarbatt and Will Britten both crossing twice apiece in a high-scoring, 56-54 win, Alex Scott proving accurate with the boot when kicking six conversions and three penalties.
Mellish continue to push-and-shove at the top end of the Counties 1 Midlands East (North) division, they being just six behind leaders Hinckley IIs after inflicting a 25-0 shut-out success away to bottom club Coalville at the weekend.
Meanwhile, mid-table Southwell, they also won on the road, defeating second bottom Ashby, 20-8, as George Machin, Andrew Frettingham, and Roman Priestley-Nangle crossed to register their third win in a row.
Heading into the Counties 2 Midlands East (North) and that of Mansfield, and Nottingham Casuals are separated by just four points at the summit, Nottingham Moderns sit sixth and thirteen off the top, whilst East Retford continue to prop everyone else at the foot of the table.
Mansfield picked up an away win, 29-18, at Gainsborough, whilst the Casuals, they dismantled hosts East Retford, 47-8, setting them up nicely for them hosting Moderns this weekend; the Moderns, they lost 34-7 away to Boston in what was a third, straight loss for them.
Then there’s the Nottinghamshire-packed, Counties 3 Midlands (North) East division, eight of the ten clubs residing there, coming from the county, and is led by Newark IIs, who shared the spoils at the weekend in 29-29 draw away to North Hykeham.
Second-placed Nottingham Medics picked up a narrow, 31-27 success at home to Sleaford, Meden Vale shut-out Cleethorpes 38-0, Paviors IIs edged Worksop 29-21, and, in the mid-table clash, Nottinghamians cruised to a 64-7 success at home to Ollerton.
Looking ahead to this coming weekend and it’s first vs third as Newark IIs host Southwell IIs, and fourth against seventh with Meden Vale welcoming Nottinghamians.
*Article provided by Peter Mann (Senior Correspondent).
*Main image @NottinghamRugby a victory for Nottingham and a long awaited one at that.
