Peterborough RUFC beaten despite a terrific fightback and why Thorney took mercy on opponents

Mooki Tshepo (left) and Alec Barradell defending the Borough try line in the game against Market Harborough. Photo: David Lowndes.

Borough rallied from 20-5 down to 20-17, but missed opportunities to grab a winning score and a first success of 2024.

There was more bad news for the city side as influential forward Rob Moulds suffered a serious ankle injury during a physical contest.

"It was a much better performance than the previous week,” said director of rugby Shane Manning. “And we were unlucky not to win. The worst thing to come out of the game though was Rob Moulds’ injury. It’s a really bad one and I feel for him as he has been playing really well.”

Matt Tapley on the burst for Borough against Market Harborough. Photo: David Lowndes.

Moulds had opened the scoring with a try during a bright Borough beginning, but Harborough dictated the rest of the first half and scored two tries, a conversion and a penalty to lead to 15-5.

It looked bleak for Borough when they conceded a third try soon after the re-start, but the city side refused to roll over and hit back with tries from Zak McClure and Matt Tapley, who had earlier seen a try chalked off by the officials, and a conversion from Ryan Morris.

But, despite plenty of pressure Borough couldn’t score again as they made some iffy decisions with the ball in hand.

Colt Harry Eales delivered a promising debut for Borough who have no fixture this weekend.

Peterborough Lions suffered a disappointing 21-5 defeat at Stockwood Park in the Counties 1 Midlands East Division.

In-form Bourne beat promotion-chasing Market Bosworth 25-21. Third-placed Stamford beat Oakham 19-10.

Lions host Market Bosworth at Bretton Park on Saturday (2.30pm).

Thorney took pity on outmatched opponents Cambridge thirds in their home Eastern Counties Division One West fixture.

The villagers were 49-0 up at the break at which point the game was halted, the teams were mixed up and the second-half was played a a fun friendly with the half-time score standing as the result.

The Cambridge side had lost 95-0 at leaders March Bears the previous week.

Thorney coach Phil Sammons said: “We knew they had been on the end of a drubbing last week and, as we have been on the receiving end of some drubbings ourselves, we decided to play the second half as a bit of fun, making rugby the winner on the day, rather than have 18 players heading back to Cambridge and potentially losing interest in the game.”

Thorney are third in the table ahead of a trip to next-to-bottom Haverhill on Saturday.