A battling performance was insufficient for the Archers of Nottingham as the hundredth game at Lady Bay ended in defeat when hosting the power-hungry, RFU Championship leaders, Ealing Trailfinders.
They tried, oh did they try, Kehinde Olowofela with an early try for the hosts, whilst Taiye Olowofela also crossed early in the second period, and Josh Neville added a third late on for the battling hosts, however there was seven tries for the visitors in response.
Of Nottingham’s trio of tries, Samuel Hollingsworth was accurate with the boot, kicking home three conversions, two tries from John Holmes, and a try and three conversions from Craig Willis helped the champions-elect to victory.
Paviors will be pleased when their season finishes, they slumping to another defeat, this time by 47-24 when away to Scunthorpe, with the lower divisions in rugby’s pyramid starting to wrap up their respective seasons.
Mellish have finished as runners-up to Hinckley IIs in the Counties 1 Midlands East (North), they losing to third place Loughborough, 29-11, whilst mid-table Southwell saw off visiting Coalville 32-11; Newark meanwhile finished sixth in the Regional 2 North Midlands division after they won 43-33 at home to Leicester Forest; James Brogden crossed for a hat-trick of tries, alongside solo efforts from Oliver Dodders, Alex O’Dell, and Ovidus Gilder, O’Dell also added four conversions and a penalty, Scott another conversion to complete the hosts’ scoring – the win for Newark sees them finish just four points off third place, Moseley Oak, eight points separating third and seventh place.
There’s still a handful of games to be played in the remaining two divisions though; in the Counties 2 Midlands East (North), Mansfield were seen to edge visitors Nottingham Casuals, 15-12, and in doing so, secured promotion for the first time in twelve years, the latter meanwhile, still have one game to play, away to Belper, and are six points behind their conquerors, whilst Nottingham Moderns are fifth, and East Retford eleventh.
Meanwhile, the Nottinghamshire-packed, Counties 3 Midlands East (North) East division, saw Nottingham Medics narrowly defeat visitors Paviors IIs 33-28, and Nottinghamians romped to a 59-7 success at home to bottom club, Cleethorpes.
Newark IIs won their local clash, 32-21, against Ollerton, and there was a 52-point game between Sleaford, and Southwell IIs, that finishing in a 26-26 draw; Newark IIs meanwhile, they do have two game outstanding, and anything from either of their away days, at Worksop, or Paviors IIs, will see them overhaul Meden Vale at the top of the pile.
Of the other Notts clubs in the division, Nottingham Medics are third, and Southwell IIs fourth, whilst that of Paviors IIs, Nottinghamians, Ollerton, and Worksop, make up four of the bottom five, with Cleethorpes propping up the table.
*Article provided by Peter Mann (Senior Correspondent).
*Main image @NottinghamRugby action from Nottingham’s hundredth game at Lady Bay.
