The Review: All-out attack, second-half surges and leaders keep rolling
Records tumbled at Plymouth in an astonishing National One performance while Round Five was also littered with second-half reactions, fast starts and the usual dollop of late drama. (Photo Credit: Mike Craig)
National One
Plymouth Albion (1st) produced a crushing performance, scoring 16 tries in a 102-0 win over Cambridge (14th).
Albion wing Noah Fenton crossed six times while Jack Oulton scored three – and provided five assists – as records tumbled at Brickfields.
Fenton’s six-try haul was a club record for an Albion player in a single game, while Plymouth also registered their highest points scored and biggest winning margin as they dismantled a young Cambridge side.
Ryan Lamb’s side also registered a fifth successive bonus-point win, as did Tonbridge Juddians (2nd), with Connor Lloyd’s last-gasp try securing a remarkable 41-38 victory over Dings Crusaders (9th).
TJs led 24-21 at half-time, but Dings moved in front after the break.
Tries from Sam Cantwell and Oliver Andrews, either side of a Lloyd penalty, put the visitors 33-27 up on 66 minutes.
Jack Walsh hit back for TJs, but when Louie Sinclair crossed for an unconverted try three minutes from time, Dings looked set to edge it.
However, the hosts produced another dramatic finish as Lloyd’s quick tap penalty and dart to the line sealed victory for Jordan Turner-Hall’s side.
Away from the top two, there were welcome wins for Bury St Edmunds (10th) and Rosslyn Park (8th).
Two tries in the final quarter from Tim Andrews and Matthew Hicks helped Bury to a 31-21 victory over Bishops Stortford (5th). The Wolfpack had trailed 21-14 before hitting back to claim their second win of the campaign.
View this post on Instagram
As for Rosslyn Park, they secured a first home victory of the season with a 40-24 win over Sheffield (12th).
Tries from Freddie Vaughan (2), Danny Cutmore, Lindberg Ekendahl and Archie Hosking helped Park race into a 35-0 lead, with Will Smith replying for Sheffield before half-time.
Elliot Fisher and Max Fraine exchanged tries before Sheffield capitalised on two Park yellow cards, with Fisher and Rhodri Campbell crossing to secure a try bonus point.
Round Five began on Friday night with Sale FC (3rd) completing a second-half turnaround to beat Leeds Tykes (7th) 21-17 in Yorkshire.
The Tykes led 17-7 just before the hour, but tries from Sale Sharks youngsters Charlie Bray and Alfie Longstaff – who scored the winner in this fixture last season – sealed the comeback for ‘The Dogs’.
Camborne (4th) claimed their first home win of the season and a third victory on the spin with a 38-26 success over London Scottish (13th).
Three tries from hooker Ben Priddey, plus scores from Daniel Roderick, Jago Sheppard and Frankie Nowell, secured a battling six-try triumph.
Scottish trailed 26-19 with 10 minutes remaining, but Karl Main’s red card for a dangerous clear-out and two further yellow cards allowed Camborne to take control. Will Butler’s late try secured a bonus point for the visitors.
And in the 3:30 kick-off, Birmingham Moseley (6th) maintained their 100 per cent home record with a 35-14 win over Rams (11th).
Tries in the final 20 minutes from Ethan Priest, Nick Bingham and Jayden Wrottesley helped Moseley to victory at Billesley Common.
National Two North
Chester (4th) produced a second-half fightback and scored six minutes from time to claim a 31-26 win over Preston Grasshoppers (5th) at Lightfoot Green.
Both sides entered the game with three wins from their first four matches, but Preston looked in control at 26-12 on 53 minutes after scores from Harry Holden (2), Matt Sturgess and Sam Freeman.
Chester responded through Curtis Finnigan before turning the game around in the final 10 minutes.
Tom Ellis darted over before Rhys Hamilton delivered the decisive score for Rhys Hayes’ side.
There was also a late win for Harrogate (6th), with Charlie Head’s 78th-minute converted try securing a 28-27 triumph over Sheffield Tigers (14th), who were denied a first win of the campaign.
An entertaining first half ended with the Aces 21-19 ahead, but Tom O’Brien’s penalty put the Tigers in front.
With five minutes remaining, Dom Santamaria’s slick finish put the hosts within touching distance of victory, only for Head and Jack Mallinson’s cool conversion to snatch it for Harrogate.
Leading the way in National Two North remain Sedgley Park (1st) and Hull Ionians (2nd), who both collected a fifth bonus-point win in Round Five.
Sedgley Park showed their intent from the off in a 92-7 victory over Huddersfield (13th) at Park Lane. Centre Joe Bedlow crossed four times as the Tigers ran in 14 tries, with seven coming in the final quarter.
For Hull Ionians, Jack Howells’ try seven minutes from time and a Ben Smith penalty secured a 32-22 win over stubborn Wharfedale (11th).
View this post on Instagram
The I’s led 17-5 at half-time following scores from Ben Stephenson, Howells and Jack Deighton, but even though a superb Callum Trees try was followed by James Sanderson’s effort, the hosts saw their lead evaporate.
Joe Adams and Oli Cicognini brought the game level, but Howells cut a superb line to score before Smith’s penalty sealed victory for Hull Ionians.
Another fast start for third-placed Darlington Mowden Park (3rd) set them on their way to a 45-10 victory over Fylde (9th).
Alfie Warwick, Charlie Dinneen and Charlie Turnbull crossed inside the first 15 minutes, with Warwick adding a second before half-time.
Mark Williams, Sam Clark and Dinneen added further scores in the second 40 as DMP secured a fourth consecutive win.
Elsewhere, Tynedale (7th) recorded their third win of the season with a 42-24 success over Heath (10th).
Fly-half Josh Leslie gave Tynedale the perfect start with two tries in the opening 11 minutes before James Telford and Will Graham also crossed in the first half.
Further scores from James Lythgoe and Isaac Keller completed the win for the hosts, leaving Heath empty-handed.
And Billingham (8th) produced an excellent second-half reaction to claim back-to-back home wins with a 43-31 victory over Otley (12th).
Trailing 19-7 at half-time, Peter Evans and Dan Finney’s side responded with five tries. Jamie Lane, Anthony Jackson, Louie Groark and Harry Rickard (2) all crossed.
A penalty try and Harvey Sellers’ score moved Otley into contention for a late draw, but Billingham ended their hopes when Groark scored his second a minute from time.
National Two East
Guernsey (2nd) came out on top against Old Albanian (3rd), maintaining their 100 per cent start with a 35-26 victory.
Guernsey led 28-12 early in the second half as Anthony Armstrong’s try added to first-half scores from Joe Wrafter, Martinas Dromantas and Josh Poullett.
Momentum then swung towards OAs as Alex Mason crossed before a penalty try and two yellow cards reduced Guernsey to 13 players.
With 15 minutes remaining, the Raiders – who led 28-26 – had to dig deep and did so, with Matthew Armstrong scoring the decisive try six minutes from time to send Footes Lane into raptures.
Jordan Reynolds’ side remain perfect alongside Oundle (1st), who scored 22 unanswered points to fight back and beat Barnes (12th) 41-21.
Tries from Joe Henry, Kristian Thomson and Brandon Baker put Barnes 21-19 ahead at the break, but Oundle found another gear in the second half.
Chester Owen, Harry Nicholls and a Cormac Calnan penalty put the visitors 36-21 ahead before Frankie Sleightholme sealed a fifth successive bonus-point win.
Esher (4th) sit four points further back after an excellent 43-37 victory away at Westcombe Park (13th).
The EEEs recovered from two first-half yellow cards and a 24-12 half-time deficit to lead 29-24 on 55 minutes through tries from Alex Gribbon, Pierre Thompson and Anthony Pedlar.
Lewis Glasspole and Pedlar exchanged scores before Calum Harris’ unconverted try cut the deficit to 36-34.
However, a penalty try four minutes from time got Esher over the line, while Westcombe Park claimed two bonus points thanks to Oscar Daniel’s late penalty.
View this post on Instagram
Jersey (11th) claimed their first victory back at Level 4, beating Colchester (8th) 43-36 in an absorbing 13-try contest.
The hosts, who began the day as the only National Two East side yet to win, trailed 19-7 before tries from Kade Bird and Jack Macfarlane levelled the scores at half-time.
Player-coach and former Premiership star Guy Thompson, operating at inside centre, exchanged scores with Colchester’s Jonah Varela before Lance Armstrong and Thompson put Jersey 38-26 ahead.
Both sides swapped tries in the final 10 minutes, but Varela’s hat-trick made it a one-score game with three minutes remaining. However, Jersey held on to secure this welcome victory at CoinShares Park.
Elsewhere, there were healthy wins for Dorking (5th), Henley (6th) and Canterbury (7th).
Dorking made it three wins on the bounce with a 33-10 success at London Welsh (10th).
Second-half tries from Will Sanders, Edward Wilkie and Tom Newman, alongside Jack Thorn’s reliable boot, steered Dorking to victory at Old Deer Park.
Meanwhile, Henley defeated Leicester Lions (14th) 33-3 in the Midlands.
The Hawks led 14-3 until the final quarter before Tom Molhoek, Will Benning and Max Brown secured a pleasing victory for Luke Allen’s side.
As for Canterbury, they returned to winning ways in style with a 59-34 victory over Havant (9th).
Garry Jones scored a hat-trick while fellow wing Oliver Ashley-Jones bagged a brace as Canterbury secured their first home win of the season.
Jones and Ashley-Jones were both involved in a four-try second-half blitz which took the game away from Havant, with Harry Sloan and Man of the Match Owain Collins also crossing during the 12-minute salvo.
National Two West
Redruth (1st) remain top of National Two West after a 36-31 win ended Taunton’s (4th) unbeaten start.
Both sides began the afternoon with four wins from four, but the hosts led at half-time thanks to Noah Clifford’s hat-trick.
Oliver Aboud and Troy Jackson replied for Taunton, but Redruth extended their lead six minutes into the second half after being awarded a penalty try.
However, influential fly-half Tom Putt then levelled the game with a converted try and penalty.
With the scores locked at 24-24, Man of the Match Tom Cowan-Dickie burrowed over before Joe Cummins crossed on 74 minutes to make it 36-24.
Taunton hit back through a surging Scott Gibson finish to leave Cornwall with two bonus points, but it was Redruth who made it five wins from five.
Luctonians (2nd) are now the only other unbeaten side in National Two West after edging Hornets (9th) 29-22 away from home.
The visitors led 15-8 at the break before Kieran Ward’s try levelled the scores on 44 minutes. Luctonians’ forwards then took control, with Harry Whiteman and Ben Link crossing to put them 29-15 ahead.
Charlie Carter converted his own try on 75 minutes to give Hornets hope, but Luctonians saw out the victory to remain level on points with Redruth.
Lymm (3rd) moved up to third after beating bottom club Exeter University (14th) 36-21 at Crouchley Lane.
Andrew Williams (2) and Nathan Ovien crossed in the first half to put Lymm 17-14 ahead, with Rory Humphries and Oliver Bertie replying for Exeter.
Quick-fire tries from hat-trick hero Williams and centurion Rhys Lilly then moved Lymm 15 points clear. Humphries scored his second for Exeter, but James Hampson made sure of the win for the hosts with three minutes remaining.
View this post on Instagram
Hinckley (5th) scored five unanswered second-half tries to defeat Barnstaple (12th) 49-5 at Leicester Road.
The home side led 15-5 at the break before surging clear after the interval, with Travis Bennett-Allcock (2), Oli Bee, Ed James and Will Callan all crossing as Hinckley recorded a fourth straight win.
It was less straightforward for sixth-placed Clifton (6th) as four tries in 12 second-half minutes proved decisive in their 36-31 home win over Loughborough Students (10th).
Two Jack Marshall tries shortly after half-time had put Loughborough 24-12 ahead before Clifton sparked into life.
Harry Hone, Jack Grundy, Tom Anderson and Brad Talbot all crossed to put the hosts 36-24 in front, but a late Loughborough score set up a tense finish at Station Road. However, Clifton held on to return to winning ways.
Following on from last week, Cinderford (7th) and Old Redcliffians (8th) were once again involved in high-scoring affairs in Round Five.
Cinderford beat winless Devonport Services 54-33 at Bell Sports and Rugby Park, with winger Sean Gardner scoring a hat-trick.
The hosts led 35-7 after 40 minutes before Gardner completed his trio, while Josh Horrobin and Callum McCabe also crossed in the second half.
Devonport Services did rally to claim a try bonus point through Henry Clement (2), Charles Groves and Lewis Woolaway, but their wait for a first victory continues.
Old Redcliffians returned to winning ways with a seven-try 49-36 success over Bournville (11th).
Dan Cox’s side had to recover from being 31-21 down at half-time, and did so by punishing Bournville’s ill-discipline. The Chocos were hit by three yellow cards in the second period, with Old Reds fully capitalising.
Renico Bailey scored first for the hosts before the flurry of cards. Callum Nicholls, Adam Collingwood and Will Tanner were all sent to the sin-bin in a 14-minute window, during which Tom McClean, Liam Appleton and Finn Murphy all crossed.
Ben Meakin replied for Bournville, but after such an encouraging first-half display, this result will be a tough one to take for Alex Grove’s side.
Make sure you follow National League Rugby on social media!
Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | TikTok | Threads
Leave a Reply