Earth Titans A 24-26 Northampton

'A' Team in action
By Stefan
October 31 2005

AGONY as Titans 'A' watch a last-ditch drop-goal attempt float inches wide of the post to go down to Northampton in a real nail-biter, finishing 26-24. The game was a tight encounter against top-class opposition fielding players with premiership experience.

Gareth Brear's last minute drop-goal attempt almost rescued the game for the 'A' team. A contest they were winning until the hour-mark when a Titans tapped penalty generated an overlap close to the visitor's line, however Saints' winger Peter Clarke snatched the final pass and raced the 95 metres to score at the other end.

It was a try that allowed the Saints to regain the initiative they had initially been handed in the opening 10 minutes. A period littered by home-side mistakes when the visitors crossed the whitewash twice for tries - both converted - for a 14-nil lead that had the Titans reeling.

Poor starts have become a feature in some of the recent 'A' team games. However, it was to their credit that the Titans managed to wrestle control back from their visitors, thanks to their forwards.

A pushover scrum gave Titans' big number eight Richard Sawyer a try on 22 minutes, and a powerful catch and drive set centre Will Kirtley up for a second - with the aid of a quality pass from flyhalf Charlie Spon-Smith - on 31 minutes, converted by Spon-Smith for a 12-14 halftime deficit.

The home pack wreaked havoc once more four minutes after the break with a 30-metre drive, eventually winning a scrum against the head that gave scrumhalf Michael Kirkwood the opportunity to spin out of a tackle on the open-side in front of the posts to take the lead. Spon-Smith again converted and Rotherham's pack continued to dominate.

A clinching score for the home-side looked increasingly likely, only for the unfortunate interception that levelled the scores at 19-all. The impetus now with the visitors, their back danced their way over the line to score their fourth and final try, converted, for a seven-point advantage.

The Titans' responded with a Ben Wade try in the 68th minute scored from the back of a maul out wide, however, the difficult conversion attempt was missed.

The drop-kick attempt in the closing stages had the visitors breathing a sigh of relief before the game closed.

The 'A' team have an abundance of character, determination and commitment and mounted a superb fight-back led by the pack. Centre Duncan Richardson, in his first game for the 'A' team, had an outstanding game.

TEAMS:

Earth Titans:
Gareth Brear (Ben Wilson 54); James Wooton (Tom Bullough 60), Duncan Richardson, Will Kirtley, Gareth Morley (Dave Bolton 54); Charlie Spon-Smith (Gareth Brear 54), Michael Kirkwood; Sam Walsh, Adam Hopcroft (Jonny Larby 55), Jamie Kilbane (Adam Hopcroft 55), Rob Walton, Nathan Pike (Greg Burnham 54), Tim Maslanyk (Tom Rice 50), Joe Earp (Nick Barrett 48), Richard Sawyer (Ben Wade 64).

Saints:
Garth Fowler; Will Harries, Paul Diggin, Adam Barnard, Tom Elliott; Ben Patston, Julian Bishop; Basil Heliasmenos, Mike Wernham, Charlie Beech, Simon Pitfield, Alex Rae, Clayton Kelly, Jamie Supple, Mark Hopley (capt).

Saints Replacements:
Beyerf Visagie, Gareth Hoadley, Tom Leary, Dan Falvey, Peter Clarke, Ollie Crosby.

SCORERS:

Titans:
Richard Sawyer (1T), Will Kirtley (1T), Michael Kirkwood (1T), Ben Wade (1T), Charlie Spon-Smith (2C).

Saints:
Ben Patston (1T), Garth Fowler (1T), Peter Clarke (1T), Will Harries (1T), Ben Patston (2C), Paul Diggin (1C).