JC Balls Belper 1st XV 28pts

Nottinghamians 1st XV 7pts

BELPER RUFC ended three weeks of last minute losses and nervy performances by comprehensively beating a Nottinghamians side who had defeated league leaders Chesterfield the previous week.

Belper welcomed back Merv Holmes and Peter Smith to the back row and it reaped dividends with the home side stifling the visiting attacks time and time again with any forward moved being knocked back.

There was also plenty of support in attack which had been missing in previous weeks.

Belper had the opportunity to take the lead just minutes in but Tennick’s hands lacked co-ordination, and with the line in his sights he knocked on when a try looked all but certain.

Moments later following further pressure from the Belper forwards, the visitors cleared kicking upfield with Clay collecting well then jinking his way past three defenders to dive over in the corner but losing control of the ball and knocking on when he should have scored.

Belper finally put points on the board following handling from the Nottinghamians forwards in the ruck and Blackwell kicked the penalty from 20 yards out in front of the posts.

Nottinghamians stirred and started to press but with Watson and Emslie alert to the danger from the visitors’ pacey outside centre, any breaks made were quickly squashed out.

It was Emslie who scored the opening try of the game following good rucking and mauling from the front five the ball was moved downfield and with Emslie popping up in the inside centre position, Blackwell spun a beautiful flat ball out to the onrushing Emslie who crashed through two tacklers to run in under the posts. Blackwell converted to give Belper a 10-0 lead.

The hosts then pressed the self destruct button. From the kick-off Watson collected well and the ball was spun back to Blackwell whose kick was charged down by the visiting no. nine chasing the ball into the try area. Blackwell grabbed his shirt, pulling him back then appeared to be shot as to look like he’d been tripped. But the referee was wise to this, giving Nottinghamians a penalty try which was converted.

Following their opening 20 minutes of dominance Belper were suddenly on the ropes. However, unlike the previous weeks where heads dropped, the home side went back at the visitors and with Blackwell in fine kicking form, six points were added from his boot before half time which arrived with Belper 16-7 ahead.

Belper pushed hard after the break and with Wilson running hard at 13 the hosts continued to boss the visiting defence with some hard crashing runs. Dakin crashed over following some hard runs from the forwards and with the ruck formed, the tenacious prop picked up and burrowed over to extend Belper’s lead.

Blackwell converted from the angle to further the home side’s lead to 14 points.

Meakin completed the scoring in the corner following some good mauling.