Peterborough RUFC didn't show Scouts enough respect and paid the penalty

James Fear (in possession) scored a try for Peterborough RUFC at Northampton Old Scouts

Borough were seeking a hat-trick of wins, but went down 31-24 after delivering a disappointing first-half display.

The hosts led 24-3 at the break before Borough dragged themselves level by scoring three converted tries.

But the hosts responded to retake the lead with a penalty before sealing victory with a breakaway interception tryy.

"The lads thought they were still playing the team from the week previous,” Manning said. “And they didn't show enough respect to Old Scouts. It's very frustrating, but the lads showed a lot of heart to drag themselves back into the game.”

Borough made changes to last week’s winning side with Dewi Pearce, Robert Moulds,and Zac McClure coming into the forward pack and Byron Van Uden and George Offer took their places in the backline.

Borough started well enough scoring a early penalty from Van Uden, but Old Scouts thrived off the visitors’ mistakes and scored 3 converted tries and a penalty to take a commanding 24-3 lead at half-time.

After a few stern words and a couple of positional changes Borough looked more like the team they had been in previous weeks. First to score was prop Stu Day who barged his way over from 5m out, Van Uden slotting the conversion to make it 24-10.

Borough then scored again as scrum-half James Fear dotted down. Van Uden converted and the score was now 24-17 and the comeback was on. Mooki Tshepo then scored a great try from a Fear break and with Van Uden adding the extra 2 points the scores were level and Borough had given themselves a chance of a win which looked beyond them at half-time.

Unfortunately Scouts would once again be the benefactors of Borough's mistakes. Firstly they took the lead through a penalty kick and then broke the visiting players’ hearts when their young winger intercepted a Borough pass after the city side had taken too long to get the ball into space.

**Peterborough Lions went down 37-24 at Newbold-on-Avon in their Regional 2 Midlands clash. Report to follow.