On a weekend dominated by Storm Darragh, the Nuns left Long Eaton with just a try bonus point for their efforts in a 38-24 defeat. The four tries were secured in the second half through Tom Aherne, Joe Wilson, Ryan Preston and Martin Wood and Lucas Brindley added 2 conversions. However, with the gale force wind behind them in the first half the hosts racked up a 33-0 half time lead which proved too much to overcome.

With a number of changes to the pack, the Nuns handed 1st team debuts to 19 year old Zeb Gibson at hooker, 18 year old prop Tyler Freeman and 21 year old back rower Joe Franklin with the latter two coming off the bench. Seasoned prop Phil Ryan came in to cover prop and Oli Mitchell started on the back row for the first time after a recent appearances from the bench. To their credit, they all made good impressions on the game and we look forward to seeing how they can push on in the future.

The Nuns kicked off the game in the face of the howling gale and it became evident from the first return kick by the hosts that it was to be a tough half. They returned the kick from their own 22m to within 15m of the Nuns try line and set up siege on the Nuns try line. The Nuns clearance kicks were struggling to make it out of the 22m and the pressure was on.

The hosts used the ball tight throughout the half and managed to get the opening score on 9 minutes with a pick from their number 8 off the back of the scrum which was converted, 7-0.

The Nuns came back though with their best spell in the first half. They won a couple of penalties and edged into the Long Eaton 22. Rumbling forward with a maul but knocking the ball on after further drives and then another set of tight carries were repelled and ended with another knock on. Turning some of this pressure into points could have been crucial.

As it was, Long Eaton came back and used the elements to pin the visitors back once again. They scored further tries on the 22nd, 31st and 35th minute with two of them being converted to take the score to 26-0.

To finish the half the Nuns were reduced to 14 men in the 36th minute and then Long Eaton scored a final converted try on the stroke of half time to extend the lead to 33-0.

The Nuns knew that an early score in the second half could get them going in their chase of points but it was Long Eaton that were first to score from some tight play having got into the 22m from a penalty that saw a second yellow card. As Volaikisuva returned to the action, Wilson was given 10 minutes in the bin. The score was now 38-0 after 48 minutes.

The Nuns finally got themselves going again and started to dominate territory in a reverse of the first half. Whilst gaining some penalties and keeping the ball Aherne was first to score from some tight carries, Brindley converted to make the score 38-7 on 54 minutes.

Whilst they were knocking at the home defence they were still standing firm and it wasn’t until the 68th minute until the Nuns scored again. After more phases near the try line Wilson gathered a ball on crossed for a try wide which was unconverted, 38-12.

Kirby broke from a scrum free kick and as he raced through clear he was brought back as the referee to retake the tap frustratingly.

On 74 minutes the hosts were now reduced to 14 men after a number of penalties.

Recycling the ball, the Nuns got it a bit wider and Preston stepped through two men to score by the posts with Brindley converting, 38-19 on 78 minutes.

Knowing one more try would gain a bonus point the Nuns came up with the goods when running back from their 22m. After a couple of breaks, the first from Gibson over 25m and then moving the ball across the pitch a couple of times Wood collected the ball in the wide channel. With a show and go past his man he raced through from 30m out and after going over the top of the last defender he scored the fourth try. Brindley’s conversion had little chance in the wind but they had collected the bonus point they deserved.
The Saxons home game with Lutterworth was postponed due to the weather.

After the game, Head Coach Huw Thomas added “Really proud of the effort from 1-18 today. We won’t play many games with a wind like that and not one of them took a backward step in the physical exchanges today. With some important players missing today it was really encouraging to see a number of lads step up who have come through the club as players and earn their first team debuts. This will help us push on in the long run if not getting the result today.”

1 James Redman 2 Zeb Gibson 3 Phil Ryan 4 James Moreton 5 Tom Aherne 6 Ben Haywood 7 Oli Mitchell 8 Martin Wood 9 Mike Volaikisuva 10 Lucas Brindley 11 Travis Bennett-Allcock 12 Ryan Preston 13 Harry Beverley 14 Tak Chawadya 15 Joe Wilson; 16 Tyler Freeman 17 Joe Franklin 18 Ben Kirby