Syston 70 Grimsby 0
The score was an embarrassment but some blushes were spared in a brave 25 minutes as Grimsby were thrashed at Syston.
In the Blues' biggest defeat for years, the home side were scoring at more than a point a minute up to the hour as a depleted XV were stretched and pierced by Syston's strike runners. Slack tackling and cover defence in the first 20 minutes had started the avalanche of points. And once the home side broke the gain line they showed a lethal edge. Again struggling from withdrawals, the Grimsby pack was dominated in the lineout but competed in the scrums. Grimsby Boars player Phil Kirman made his first-team debut at second row, while Taff Hopkins and Ian MacDonald also stepped up to the first string. Nick Purewal came in at number eight and did well in tidying up some retreating set pieces.
The opening Syston try started a repetitive plot. The forwards recycled quick ball at a ruck and simple, through-the-hands passing exposed a lack of cover on Grimsby's left, which was exploited by the Syston wing. Another two tries from overlaps started to pile on the points and a dubious mauled try extended Syston's lead. The Blues had given them a stern test, going down 24-12 at Springfield Road earlier in the season, but with a weakened side it was a much different story. More than 40 points down at the break, Grimsby had nothing to lose.
Yet they started the second period half asleep as Syston won the kick-off and scored with their first attack. Two more one-phase tries followed as Syston began to play 15-man rugby. Their man-mountain second row burst through to score his second try of the game - one of many thorns in the Grimsby side. Then the Blues remembered how to defend and went unbreached for 25 minutes. Strong tackling from the likes of centre Gavin Kempthorne and a tighter forward performance meant the Blues could enjoy some possession. Some simple, pick-and-drive rugby put Syston under pressure. Injured prop Neil Corry came on to bolster the front row and the Blues began to edge forward, forcing penalties. Having come on with 15 minutes to go, young scrum-half Daniel Waterman took a quick tap to right wing Dan Evans, who sent Shane Lowery through a rare gap on the 22-metre line. The captain charged for the line, only to be stopped a yard out by a strong tackle from the Syston winger. That was the closest the visitors came to scoring and after an open, tiring game, Syston finished the rout with another converted try.