Chesterfield Panthers RUFC Colts battle through to win place in final

Long Eaton arrived under-strength having suffered injuries and cancellations and had to look forward to 70 minutes of rugby without substitutes but, as a measure of their strength and determination, elected to play. Chesterfield needed a strong cup run off the back of a couple of losses – but were also without a large number of squad members.

From the off there was real tension in the air, Chesterfield pushed hard through the first few phases and were gifted a try as Reuben Wrath took advantage of an unguarded ruck.

That was the last gift from Long Eaton. They tightened up their defence and their line speed closed down a determined Chesterfield attack time and again. Chesterfield continued to look for holes through the middle, with strong carries from their big forwards, Owen Gibbons and James Briggs and although they were met with a solid wall of Long Eaton muscle, it couldn’t last.

Chesterfield moved the ball wide for Reuben Wrath and Matthew Thorp to get over the line and captain Charlie Bramley to convert. By half time Long Eaton had squeezed 21 points past Chesterfield scoring through the middle with three tries to lead 21 – 17.

In the second half Chesterfield continued to pile on the pressure with some probing runs from Stanley Butler, Alex Watson and scrum half Toby Firth. Matthew Thorp continued to battle on the wing, defending his channel, with try-saving tackles and was then rewarded with a try in the corner with great support play. He well deserved his coach’s man of the match award. Alex King, our captain’s man of the match, worked tirelessly at Number Eight throughout then saw a gap through the middle as Long Eaton began to tire. He didn’t need to be asked twice to score his first try for the club.

Although the match was played in the spirit it seems only rugby can bring, the penalty count began to mount.

Chesterfield built a good, two-score lead and then made the near fatal error of celebrating a win too soon. That was all a resilient Long Eaton side needed to put another try past Chesterfield that led to a nail-biting final five minutes of a match which had already served up a highly competitive and thrilling game of rugby.

Chesterfield switched back on, kept possession and ran through their phases until the referee blew his whistle. A win at 29 – 26 and a Chesterfield Panthers team through to the final of the Rugby Plate competition.