Rasen lose in top-of-the-table clash
Coalville 1st XV 23 Market Rasen & Louth 1st XV 17
THE RED and Greens travelled to Leicestershire to take on table-topping Coalville in what turned out to be an enthralling match with the forward orientated Rasen game pitted against the pacy running style of the home team.
From the kick off Coalville clearly wanted to play the game at a high tempo and give their speedy backline every opportunity to attack, which soon paid off when having worked themselves close to the Rasen 22, an infringement was punished by their fly half with a well taken penalty kick.
Coalville continued their attacking policy, but a thunderous tackle by centre Paul Cook in midfield dislodged the ball and the Rasen pack pounced on the mistake to surge up field.
After a series of drives the ball was moved to skipper Dean Hutchinson to crash over the line to put Rasen into the lead in the ninth minute.
From a line out, slick handling saw the Coalville fullback join the line at pace to create an overlap leaving the defence floundering before passing to the winger who ran in unopposed. The fly half added the conversion and the home team were back in front.
However within three minutes the score board see-sawed back to the visitors when another solid scrum provided the possession for Cook to score close to the posts and leave himself an easy conversion for the extra points.
Coalville soon bounced back with their lively scrum half, who was a constant thorn in the side of the Rasen defence, making another telling break before feeding the dangerous fullback.
The spritely nine took a return pass and then fed the winger for another classy try, again converted by the fly half.
Undeterred Rasen continued to use the forwards before Coalville capitulated to concede a penalty, which was drilled into touch close by the home try line.
Like a well oiled machine, the Rasen lineout made a classic catch and drive to force Leigh Dearden over the line to bring the scores level at 17-17.
A pulsating first half unfortunately didn't materialise into a similar second half.
An early misdemeanour from flanker Ben Chamberlin gave him a ten minute rest in the sin bin and the Coalville fly half gratefully took the opportunity to slot the penalty kick to put his side back in front.
Coalville extended their lead by a further three points during his enforced absence when, with seemingly nothing else on, the home fullback scored from a drop kick from 40 metres.
At the final whistle the sense of relief and joy was etched on the faces of the home team who now, barring an earth shattering mishap, will be promoted automatically at the end of the season as champions.
Team: Cole, Oliver, Wootton, Mitchell, Dearden L, Chamberlin, Starling, Hutchinson, Neesham A, John, Dearden A, Cook, Bemrose, Green, Neesham M. Subs: Thornes (used), Barnard and Nicholls (not used).
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Weather for Market Rasen
Sunday 27 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 10 C to 22 C
Wind Speed: 18 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 11 C to 23 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
Wind direction: North east
