MATCH REPORT: Borough pipped at the post

The city side went down 25-20 to Wellingborough in a thrilling Midlands Division One East clash which saw the visitors nick it with a length-of-the-pitch try right on the final whistle.

That was a fifth league loss on the trot for Borough but they’re still smiling.

“Sure we lost, but it was a good game to watch and fifth place in the table on our return to Midlands One is not to be sniffed at,” said vice-chairman Archie Bennett.

“We’re not going up, we’re not going down and we’re continuing to give several of our youngsters valuable experience of playing at this level.”

Borough trailed 13-3 at half-time but did well to fight back in the second period and as the game entered injury-time they were leading 20-18 with Mooki Tshepo-Olebile and George Offer having crossed for tries and Reggie Reid having kicked two conversions and two penalties.

But with a whopping 14 minutes of time added on gone, Wellingborough won a scrum on their own goal-line and sprinted the length of the pitch through some half-hearted Borough tackles to snatch a winning touchdown.

Tshepo-Olebile was outstanding for Borough along with Zak McClure, Levan Stapleton and Dave Brabant.

In the same division Oundle lost 45-10 at home to Bedford Athletic and remain seventh.