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Wisbech upset
with the referee
in Vase defeat
John Beck in action for Borough Under 14s. Photo: Sue Ball
A COUPLE of controversial refereeing decisions led to a disappointing RFU Junior Vase exit for Wisbech on Saturday.
They travelled to Hammersmith to play London Exiles in the fifth round and despite a valiant effort were beaten 19-13.
The Fen boys were doing okay for 15 minutes but then a refereeing decision proved crucial and turned the game in favour of the Surrey Division One leaders.
Wisbech skipper Tom Long conceded a penalty for using a hand in the ruck and was sent to the sin-bin for 10 minutes. And it was during that time that Exiles crossed for two tries - one converted - to establish a 12-0 lead.
Wisbech fought back and a try by Solomon Prestige and a conversion and penalty by Mark Laws cut the deficit to 12-10 early in the second period.
But, just as Wisbech looked as though they might snatch a winning score, the referee again upset them - this time by allowing play to continue from a scrum that had wheeled more than 90 degrees as a result of strong pressure by the Wisbech pack. The Exiles went on to score a try when the Wisbech forwards were expecting another scrum.
Wisbech mounted a late rally but all they could manage was another Laws penalty and that wasn’t enough to keep their dream of a final appearance at Twickenham alive.
Wisbech club manager Cliff Humphreys said: “It was a very disappointing result and the yellow card was a major factor.
“I felt the card was a bit harsh especially as it was the first offence.”
n IN the English Clubs Championship, Peterborough Lions coninued their promotion push at Northampton Old Scouts.
The Midlands Division Two East (South) table-toppers won 35-17 in a game they always dominated.
Tries came from Liam Mills, Rudi Van Der Merwe (2), Mantis, Chris Humphrey and Pete Kolakowski and there were welcome returns from injury for Alan O’Connor and Arturius Balcunius.
Lions chairman Andy Moore said: ”For once we didn’t pick up any yellow cards so that was a big plus. It was a solid, all-round team performance. We were stronger up front and sharper in the backs.”
n SPALDING did their survival hopes a power of good in Midlands Division One East when they picked up a shock 34-28 win at promotion hopefuls Paviors - a side that had thumped them 73-6 back in October at the Memorial Field..
Spalding made a dream start when Josh McNally made a break and skipper Harry Sharman took over to crash through three tackles to score under the posts with barely a minute gone.
By half-time Spalding, who were producing some of their finest rugby of the season, had stretched the advantage to 29-8 with further tries by Kevin Childs, McNally and Sharman.
Paviors came more into the game after the interval but Spalding scored again through Richie Craig and hung on for a vital five-point haul.
n STAMFORD also collected five points as they beat Rugby St Andrews 30-10 to move up to third in Midlands Division Three East (South).
Bruce Parker, Mark Taylor, Richard Thompson and James Green were the Stamford try-scorers and coach David Laventure was a happy man.
He said: “The bonus point for four tries to push us up to third was massive and gets us back into promotion contention. We will make sure the boys don’t get carried away though and just go one game at a time.”
n BOROUGH Ladies hit top form in Hitchin, taking the honours 56-0 with Sarah Davey crossing for a hat-trick of tries and Melanie Fulcher kicking eight out of eight conversions.
Verity Swinscoe was voted forward of the match and Fulcher back of the match.
n THERE were good wins for two of Borough’s junior sides on Sunday.
The Under 13s beat Rushden & Higham 58-10 in an East Midlands Plate semi-final with Owen Garner leading the way on the try-scoring front with three and Dominic Tompsett and Billy Ruane bagging a pair each.
The forwards laid the platform for the victory with an outstanding scrum and hard running from the likes of Zachary Stimpson, Nathan Taylor and Garner.
Borough Under 14s won 53-14 at Boston with Bradley Bucknell, Leon Weekely and Martin Ball all crossing twice.
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Weather for Peterborough
Saturday 26 May 2012
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Temperature: 11 C to 23 C
Wind Speed: 20 mph
Wind direction: East
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Comments
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feduppete
Wednesday, February 22, 2012 at 12:37 PMSo sorry. After i just wrote the above I saw the Lions report squeezed in between Wisbech report with just a couple of lines.
feduppete
Wednesday, February 22, 2012 at 12:34 PMDidn't Lions play last weekend? No report so I guess they did not.
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