Thorney close in on title, Peterborough Lions win, but Peterborough RUFC are badly beaten

The villagers returned to the top of the table by winning their penultimate fixture 38-14 at Bury St Edmunds. Thorney need to beat Cambridge Exiles at home in their final match on April 5 to clinch the title and promotion. It should be a formality as Cambridge are bottom of the table.

Thorney enjoyed the perfect start in Suffolk as Michael Croucher and Adrian Tipton crossed for tries in the opening five minutes. A penalty try soon followed as did a penalty from Owen Davies and then tries from Tipton and Davies. Davies kicked the rest of the points.

LIONS

Peterborough Lions could also need to win their final match of the season, but for a very different reason. The city side are battling against relegation from Counties 1 Midlands East even after a 22-15 win over Biggleswade at Bretton Park. That was sixth win of the season for Lions and moved them off the bottom of the table with one game to go, at third-placed Newbold-on-Avon on April 5.

Lions went 3-0 up against Biggleswade through a Will Moore penalty in the first five minutes after some great pressure from the defence forced Biggleswade to turn over possession.

Lions soon extended their lead to 10-0 with a try from Michael Kelly-Gobuiwang after a smart chip and chase from centre Penitoa Heleta. Moore added the conversion.

The visitors responded to level with two unconverted tries, but Lions had the last word of the first-half when Tanaka Kanhukamwe ran in a try from 20 yards, battering a handful of defenders along the way. From 15-10 at the break Lions pulled away with a third try as big second row Tomo Clark set up fly-half Manu Ahokovi from a set-piece.

Moore converted and Lions then defended stoutly before Biggleswade narrowed the deficit to seven points with a third try of their own.

PETERBOROUGH RUFC

Borough shipped 60 points for the second time in three Regional 2 Midlands East matches at Oadby Wyggstonians. High-scoring matches have become a feature of Borough’s season although they are still clinging on to a top half spot after this 60-31 reverse.

Unavailabilities are another regular occurrence and the city side were short in their three-quarter line at Oadby. They enjoyed plenty of possession, but could never quite keep on terms with their hosts and a 32-17 half-time deficit turned into a 29-point beating by the end.

Borough did manage to score five tries through Byron Van Uden (2), Will Manning, captain Luke Swindells and Rob Moulds to secure a losing bonus point.

Club director of rugby Shane Manning said: “it was a steep learning curve for some of younger lads who were called into the side, but they will learn from it. It’s frustrating for the coaches because we beat Oadby when we played them earlier in the season, but we had more of our regular backs available then.”

Borough host Olney in their final league game on April 5 before they take part in the Papa John’s Cup competition which starts on April 12th.

JUNIORS

Superior strength in depth enabled Shelford to beat Borough in the Under 15 Cambs Cup. The city side led 12-7 at the break, but the hosts hit back to win 35-12. Borough try scorers were Harry Bennett and Liam Dean. Jonty Faith added a conversion.