with a home fixture against old familiar opposition Ilkeston RFC and what a wonderful spectacle it turned out to be with the result not being certain until the final whistle writes Geof Nichols.A large crowd were on hand to see this first match and for the most part were not disappointed by what they saw, but Spalding spectators at the end knew what difficulties they were to expect ahead during the season from playing at this higher level. Both sides were neck and neck throughout the match and the result could have gone either way. Ilkeston kicked off and play was in the home side’s half, a penalty was awarded to the visitors and from a quickly taken tap penalty the ball was moved along the Ilkeston line for the winger to score in the corner. The attempted conversion went wide. Spalding re-started and from the first move it was Ilkeston’s turn to be penalised and Lawrence Rayner made no mistake with his well taken penalty reducing the home side’s deficit to only 2 points. Spalding were able to rebuild their position and put the visitor’s under sustained pressure on their own line. Ilkeston won the ball but poor clearance from their defence resulted in skipper Harry Sharman gathering the ball and through quick hands in the Spalding backs resulted in Ollie Phillips scoring in the corner. Rayner produced one of his best kicks from near the touchline as the ball bisected the uprights to give the home side a 10 – 5 lead.Ilkeston were soon on the attack again and within eight minutes they were awarded three penalties two of which were converted but also giving them a point advantage on the score board. With 10 minutes of the first half left it was Spalding’s turn to benefit from the foul play by the Ilkeston forwards. A deliberate knock on resulted in a yellow card for the visiting player and the opportunity for Rayner to regain the lead from the resultant penalty. The kick from 45 metres out and on the angle gave Spalding a two point lead to take into the second half the score being 13 – 10 at half time.

The second half commenced with the same ferocity as the first 40 minutes had been. But it was Ilkeston who were first to take advantage when after five minutes a scrum on the Spalding 22 metre line. The ball was fed to the Ilkeston fly-half who took full advantage of the space left for him and scored under the posts leaving a simple conversion to take the score to 13 – 18. Not to be outclassed Spalding were back on the attack and as the match progressed into the fourth quarter it was Spalding who were able to capitalise on good play. From a cleanly won line-out the ball quickly moved through to the Spalding centres, debutante Dave Hankinson burst through the centre and with pacey winger Phillips in support who outpaced the defence to score his second try. Rayner obliged with the conversion and Spalding were now in the lead by two points making the score 20 – 18. As the match progressed into the last 10 minutes further twists and turns lay ahead. First of all Spalding were awarded a penalty near the halfway line and Rayner once again made no mistake making the Spalding lead into 5 points. Ilkeston were awarded a penalty which they converted to bring the score up to 23 – 21, but the final twist came in the last two minutes. Stout defence by the home side was holding strong but the Ilkeston fly half had other ideas and when the opportunity came he stood back and calmly dropped a goal to make the score 23 – 24 and just denying the Spalding team their first win in the first league match of the season.Spalding must go forward from this result with the positives shown by Sharman, Ed Duerden in producing some big tackles and the elusive running by George Brown at full back as well as good possession at the line-out, but too much ball was lost at the ruck and in contact. Ilkeston had the experience of playing at this level for the two previous seasons and it showed.

Spalding RFC: Harry Sharman (Captain), Andy Branton, Craig Dowse, Peter Shakespeare, Ed Duerden, Mark Haighton, Tom Duerden, Andy Hoyles, Rob Lucas, Lawrence Rayner, Kevin Childs, Ben Williamson, Dave Lawrence, Ollie Phillips, George Brown, Harry Exley, Harry Brown and Ian Knight.