On Saturday we were at home with another massive challenge against top team Rams. They had beaten us 22-40 at their ground back in October and were lying fifth in the league. We were looking to build on recent excellent performances and were confident that we could get the win. It was a special day for our loose head prop Jon Blanchard who was playing his 100th national league game for the club. A great achievement for a player who gives 100% week in week out and a tremendous club man. Well done Blanny !! Conditions on the day were lovely with a fine sunny day and a firm pitch conducive for open, fast rugby. We started positively taking the game to Rams carrying hard and building phases in their half but were unable to convert pressure into points which was frustrating as we had created a number of chances in the first eighteen minutes. It was the visitors who scored first with a well worked converted try to give them a 0-7 lead after twenty minutes. They backed this up three minutes later with a second converted try after a line out overthrow and a mistackle from the Tigers. Rams to their credit continued to pressure our defences building phases on our five metre line which they eventually crashed over for their third converted try and commanding 0-21 lead going into the last ten minutes of the half. We hit back with a converted try for flanker Lewis Bradley after powerful driving play from the forwards and went into the break 7-21 down and a lot to do in the second half. Despite the score line we were confident that we could come back especially as we had gifted them two of their tries in the first half. However the second period did not start well for the home team as Rams scored straight from the kick off following another mis tackle and they were now 7-28 up with all of the second half to go. However the next thirty minutes saw an unbelievable turn around in fortunes for the Tigers. A patient build up keeping possession well saw the ball moved right for full back Oli Glasse to feed scrum half Matt Sturgess who ran in from thirty metres for our second try and back in the game 12-27. Seven minutes later a penalty in the top left hand corner gave us a line out which was driven over for hooker Ben Gregory to touch down. Fly half Warren Seales added the conversion and we were now right back in the game 19-28. A penalty from Warren ten minutes later further reduced the lead to 22-28. Straight from the re start centre Nathan Pope who had just returned from injury plucked the ball out of the air, carried it deep into the Rams twenty two, fed fellow centre Cam Scanlon who off loaded back to Nathan who scored our fourth and bonus point try and reduce the lead to 27-28. Nine minutes later a kick return saw winger Sam Thorpe carry the ball back into the Rams twenty two. The ball was quickly recycled and passed to prop Ozzie Downham who crashed over. Warren added the conversion and incredibly we were now in the lead 34-28 with ten minutes to go. Rams put a lot of pressure on our defences in the last ten minutes of the game and scored their fifth try after a well worked kick pass deep in injury time. However they were unable to convert the try and the game ended 34-33 to the Tigers and an unbelievable bonus point win. This was a wonderful game of rugby from two excellent sides but all credit to the whole squad for a never say die performance and another win against a top five team. Next Saturday we are on the road against another top team Rotherham Titans who are second in the league and we are hoping that people will make the short trip over to Yorkshire to support their very special Tigers team.
Many thanks, Steve Hazz.
