Grimsby 3rds 22 Market Rasen 19
Grimsby pipped rival Market Rasen and Louth as two mix and a match sides clashed in a close encounter at Springfield Road. In an expansive first half, the blues built up a lead but then Rasen pegged them back. The visitors were on tour and had a mixed team, as did Grimsby whose first XV cup fixture with Spalding had been postponed.
First team fly-half Zak Bradley who has been out for a year with a broken leg made his third comeback game for the team. And the injury hasn't lessened his boot, as he pinged kicks off both feet to clear any danger and pen the visitors back. In the first half hour the home side ran it everywhere. Bradley dusted off the missed passes to well with outside centre Dan Evans and left wing James Bowen and the trio caused all sorts of problems for the Rasen defence. From the back of a maul 10 metres out, scrum half Dave Waudby peeled off and powered towards the line. The full back thought he had a chance but was steam rolled for the opening try. Five minutes later Bradley got the ball, threw a dummy and burst through a gap. He came up to the Rasen 22 and released supporting flanker Neil Corry. The regular first teamer could not be caught as he dived under the posts making the conversion easy for centre Lee Spall who made it 12-0. A Rasen try before half time got the Blues thinking and in the second half the Grimsby backs did not get much ball as the visitors started to reel them in.
A missed tackle from Tim Lansley-Hopp on his opposite number saw the Rasen forward dive over for a try under the posts which was converted. While the lineout struggled on occasions and a few Grimsby scrums were lost against the head the home forwards dominated in the loose. Corry, Lansley-Hogg and flanker Piggott were all thorns in the Rasen side as they stole balls, disrupted play and held up drives. With 10 minutes to go a kick from the visitors was collected by right wing Phil Dann who weaved through several tackles and made 40 metres before kicking on. He beat the covering defence to the ball popped it up to Evans who won a penalty on the 22m line. Spall kicked the goal to put the home side a vital three points ahead. After a failed attack on the right, Grimsby shipped the ball left. Substitute lock John Scaife flung an audacious missed pass to add more width and wing Bowen showed strength and pace to score. Spall added the extras with his boot. In the last minute Rasen went over for a converted try.