Gainsborough RUFC overturn half-time deficit to defeat Meden Vale RUFC

Coming into the game Medan Vale were one place above Gainsborough in the league and this closeness was reflected in the way that the lead kept changing hands.

Gainsborough All Blacks had a slow start by giving away a penalty, which Vale kicked for goal and drew first blood.

Gainsborough were a lot stronger scrummaging than Medan Vale and also the All Blacks produced some great tackles.

Gainsborough’s number 10 Will Cawte took advantage by breaking away and scoring Gainsborough’s first try of the match, this was not to be converted.

Gainsborough had a two point cushion at this stage, but Medan Vale totally had other ideas and drove Gainsborough back into their 22 and created Vale’s first try of the match, which was successfully converted giving the lead back to Vale. F

rom the restarts the ball was kept low due to the wind making a nuisance of itself.

Gainsborough then forced Vale back into their 22 in which Vale conceded a scrum at five metres.

This would go on to be a mistake as a bit of quick thinking helped Daniel Chadwick to dive onto Vale’s try line to give Gainsborough a second try.

This time Tom Parkinson slotted the conversion home to give the home side a 12-10 lead.

Medan Vale would then come back again to score a converted try to take the game into half time at 17-12 to Vale.

Gainsborough prop James Taylor received a yellow card and was forced to go the sin bin for 10 minutes after repeated infringements by the team. With him missing the Gainsborough scrum came under severe pressure but a determined defense kept the opposition out.

After getting back to full strength Gainsborough started the second half better than they did the first with the youngster Jordan Tuplin running down the right wing and touching the ball down close to the right side line for their third try of the match.

Tom Parkinson kicked the difficult conversion home through the posts.

Gainsborough’s man of the match Ben Watson showed his strength and boldness by crashing through Vale’s defence to confirm Gainborough’s penultimate try and give Tom Parkinson an opportunity to add some more points to the All Blacks already expanding tally.

Jordan Tuplin made sure of victory by scoring Gainsborough’s last try and his second of the day.

The win victory means Gainsborough leapfrog Vale into sixth in the league with the bonus point for scoring four tries putting Gainsborough one point ahead of Vale.