Nuneaton RFC's battle for survival is boosted by win
Apr 1 2011
Rugby Lions 17 Nuneaton 25
NUNEATON banked five vital points in their battle for National League Two North survival while sending their county rivals a step closer to the now inevitable drop.
Ahead after just 72 seconds, Nuns had to wait until the 73rd minute of this clash at Webb Ellis Road to make sure of maximum points against a spirited Lions side.
Lions put themselves under pressure from the opening whistle, conceding a penalty after failing to deal with Lee Chapman’s kick-off, and the Nuns pack drove over from the ensuing line-out for flanker Nick Smith to touch down.
Chapman added a penalty for 8-0 after nine minutes, and when Lions got in another defensive tangle trying to clear an Alex Mumford kick, full-back Stefan Cooksammy snapped up a second try for the visitors.
Fly-half Alex Stevenson opened Rugby’s account with a penalty after 31 minutes, but this was cancelled out by Chapman to send Nuns into the break in control at 16-3.
A scrappy third quarter followed before the game dipped out of Lions’ reach when centre Lewis Flood was yellow-carded for a dangerous tackle – Nuns making the extra man count with tries from scrum-half Mumford and winger George Wallis, the first converted by Chapman, before equality was restored.
Coach Mike Umaga’s first touch as replacement full-back for Nuns led to a try for centre Richard Johnson, converted by Chapman, before Lions finished on a high with replacements Neil Davies and Tom Leach going in for tries in a late seven-minute flurry, Stevenson and Emyr Lewis supplying the conversions.
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