Derby 43 Nuneaton 26

Nuns finish season with a loss

Derby 43 Nuneaton 26

The Nuns made changes to last weekend’s squad with Jack Robotham unavailable and Leigh Thompson injured Adie Hall returned as well as Callum Grant-Smith. In the backline Huw Thomas swapped places with Tom Smitham and Adam Huxford came in for Theo Knight.

On the artificial surface at Derby, the Nuns were looking to finish the season on a high but got off to the worst start possible. Inside the first 25 minutes they were 26-0 down with the hosts securing the try bonus point. A mixture of missed tackles, mistakes and a break away try meant that the game was almost over before it had begun. However, the Nuns new that if they could maintain some possession and pressure scoring opportunities would come.

They finally got some reward for this on 33 minutes, after a sustained period of pressure Wills Messum forced his way over the line. Ben Cooper converted to bring the score to 26-7. The Nuns maintained some pressure for the rest of the half but lacked some patience in trying to score.

The second half started with both teams jostling for some kind of control on the game but little scoring opportunities for either team. The Nuns were next on the score board when Nemani Rayabo broke from a ruck 20m out to score under the posts. Huw Thomas dropped goaled the conversion to save time as they side believed that a comeback was more than achievable. 33-14 after 51 minutes.

As the Nuns looked to keep the pressure on the hosts, they seemed comfortable in play but then the game was almost taken away from them. Derby sent a cross field kick to touch which the winger collected, as the cover defence came across Jackson Hughes was adjudged to have made a high tackle into touch. The referee called time off to award a penalty and send Hughes to the sin bin. As the Nuns came across the pitch the home player took the penalty quickly to score in the corner. Whilst extending the lead it also knocked the wind out of the Nuns leaving the score at 31-14. Just a few minutes later and Derby scored again from long range taking the score to 38-14 on 65 minutes.

The Nuns though picked themselves up and went back on the attack. Maintaining possession, first Adam Huxford crossed for his debut try but Cooper struck the post with the conversion on 72 minutes. Then on 75 minutes from a penalty line out catch and drive Sam Greening scored with Cooper converting to bring the score to 38-26 with 5 minutes remaining.

As they looked to score again and secure a second bonus point the Nuns were guilty of over playing from deep and conceded possession. Derby had the last word with a 7th try to leave the score at 43-26.

Nuns: James Redman, Dale Bowyer, Sam Greening, Wills Messum, Adie Hall, George Wallis, Callum Grant-Smith, Arron Skyrme; Huw Thomas, Ben Cooper, Nemani Rayabo, Moses Liwaliwa, Adam Huxford, Jackson Hughes, Ben Kirby

Ryan Leake, Nick Smith, Tom Smitham

Tries: Messum, Rayabo, Huxford, Greening
Cons: Cooper 2, Thomas