Sat 1 Oct 2022
Norwich Union 16-10 Cambridge 3s 1-Oct-2022
Norwich Union come out on top of a very tight game and despite only scoring a single try through an interception by Ryan Day to their opponents two tries but kept their noses in from through the boot of scrum half Lloyd Davis, who slotted a conversion and three penalties for a personal haul of 11.
The first quarter of the game was a war of attrition with neither side being able to break the other’s defences, man-of-the match inside centre Nik Trataris to the fore rocking his opposite number backwards on several occasions.
Cambridge were the first to break the deadlock, with their fly half finding a gap between the centres out in the wide channels and running in to score an unconverted try to take a narrow 0-5 lead on the 22min mark.
It was almost half time before Union were able to reply and this was down to a clever read by outside centre Ryan Day who snatch a loose pass by the Cambridge midfield 3m meters out before racing in to score just to the left upright, which Davis duly converted meaning Union took a slender 7-5 into half time.
Union extended their lead straight after half time, with a maul being brought down illegally close to the line, Captain Matt Spenceley opting for a kick at goal, which Davis slotted taking the score to 10-5.
This lead was further extended on the 48min mark as Cambridge went offside at the breakdown, Spenceley again opting for the kick to posts, with again Davis bisecting the uprights from 35m out to take the score to 13-5.
Cambridge were unbowed and through a series of charges from their forwards found themselves deep in Union territory and peel from the maul finding space for their second unconverted try, which narrowed the score to 13-10 at the game entered the fourth quarter.
Davis had two further attempts at goal, both from about the 40m mark, one an open-field drop goal attempt, both kicks slipped past the upright, so the score remained 13-10 until the closing moments of the game, when Cambridge went off their feet at a ruck and were penalised, Davis’ first attempt was prevented by a clumsy and illegal charge down the Cambridge player receiving a yellow card, his second attempt was successful taking the score to 16-10.
There was till time for the kick off to add tension to the end of the game, but Union were able to close out the game taking the win.
Team: Chris Spenceley, Ben Bond-Webster, Simon Pitcher, Johnny Short, Jordan Read, Tom Easton, Matt McLaughlin, Matt Spenceley, Lloyd Davis, Luke Hill, Callum Slaughter, Nick Trataris, Ryan Day, Shaun Lohan, Alex Sinclair Replacements: Graham Hunt, Joe Morrell, Josh Crosley
Scorers: Ryan Day 1T, Lloyd Davis 1C, 3P from 4 attempts, 0DG from 1 attempt.
Union’s next game is an away game to Fakenham in a re-arranged fixture from 3rd September, the Firebirds are also in action against Medics at home which was also re-arranged from the start of the season.
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