Plucky Ashfield give title-chasing Loughborough a serious fright

Ashfield’s hammerings of 73-10 and 78-7 over the previous two weeks were but a distant memory in a performance at Larwood Park which recalled the determination and belief that has been missing for most of the calendar year.

And although they suffered an agonising 10-6 defeat, coach Gareth Jones refused to let the heartbreak cloud his praise for a side who played the better rugby and deserved more out of the game.

“We changed a couple of things, and the lads responded with a team performance we haven’t seen for many weeks,” said a delighted Jones.

“Our line out was excellent, giving a platform for our attack that set the backs running all game. But more pleasing was our discipline. We focused on the game and didn’t get drawn into anything.

“The display was just the tonic we needed prior to our last league game this Saturday and then our Nottinghamshire Cup semi-final.”

The match was crucial for visitors Loughborough, who sit second in the table, only three points behind leaders Kesteven. And after 18 wins in their 20 league fixtures so far, plundering 628 points, they were hot favourites to run amok.

However, Ashfield stunned them with a high-tempo game from the start and could have been in front in the eighth minute when Rob Kirk sliced through the Loughborough defence. Somehow, when he found himself just five metres out, the visitors managed to smuggle the ball away.

Loughborough made the most of a yellow card for Ashfield’s Rob Peacock when they scored a penalty directly in front of the posts for the first points of the afternoon. But this didn’t deter Ashfield and as the visitors failed to capitalise further on the man-advantage, Billy North traded penalties, majestically striking the ball through the uprights from a tight angle and squaring up the score at 3-3.

The second half had barely started when an uncharacteristic mistake on a set-piece left a gaping hole in the Ashfield defence. This was a hammer blow to the hosts as they conceded a converted try.

The inspirational North reduced the points deficit to four when he scored his second penalty of the day to give Ashfield renewed hope. And he continued to lead the home charge, ably aided by Dan Morgan, Matt Turnbull and captain Chris Houseman, before a leg injury forced him from the field of play.

As the match raced towards the final whistle, the Loughborough hooker was shown a straight red card for a callous and deliberate kick on Morgan, who was a thorn in the side of the visiting pack all game.

It gave Ashfield a golden chance of pegging back the four-point deficit, but they toiled in vain to find the game-winning try.

It left Loughborough to take the spoils but Ashfield claiming a moral victory with their tenacious play.

The outcome left the visitors clinging on desperately to their title chances after they learned that leaders Kesteven had won 24-15 at mid-table Belper on Saturday. In the last round of fixtures this weekend, they entertain ninth-placed Aylestone At James, while Kesteven are at home to struggling Boston.

Meanwhile Ashfield, who lie eighth in the 12-team division, will be hoping to wrap up their league campaign in style when they travel to meet bottom-of-the-table Nottingham Moderns, who have tasted victory only three times but lost by just six points at Ashby on Saturday. Kick-off time is 3 pm.