KESTEVEN 1ST XV 14
LINCOLN 1ST XV 47
BY JOSEPH VERNEY
Finlay Macdonald and George Sutcliffe crossed for tries on their first team debuts as Lincoln’s 1st XV made it back-to-back victories with a 47-14 win at Kesteven.
Jack Noquet, Jake Keeton, Jim Calveley, Ben Sykes, and Ben Crowe also got their names on the scoresheet, with Richie Dixon and Jack Randell adding three conversions apiece.
Although there is one league between the two teams, Kesteven battled hard throughout and showed great character, which was rewarded with tries for Jake Eagle and Dan Turner.
The game at Woodnook was played in four quarters and after a strong start Lincoln opened the scoring through Noquet. Lincoln put good pressure on their opponents from a line-out and Noquet stepped through a gap and handed off three players to run in for a try.
Kesteven hit back with some good strong running by James Goodrich and Eagle in the second quarter before taking the lead with a well-worked try.
Good hands by the backs saw Liam Shields hit Justin Dingley with a flat pass. He drew the last defender in before setting up Eagle to run in for a try, which Shields converted.
Lincoln regained the lead after winning a lineout and Sykes ran it in before popping the ball up in the tackle for Jake Keeton to go over for a try. Dixon added the extras.
The visitors continued to grow in confidence as the game wore on and Calveley powered over for a try from five metres out, which Dixon converted.
Lincoln found time for one more try before half-time as Sykes ran in to score off a tap from ten metres out. Dixon successfully slotted over the conversion to give Lincoln a 26-7 lead going in at the break.
Randell offloaded to MacDonald to set up Lincoln’s first score of the second half, with the latter running around 40 metres for a great try. Randell added the extras.
Kesteven refused to give up and reduced the deficit when Turner broke through the defence and put the ball down for a try with a defender hanging off him under the posts. Shields slotted over the conversion.
Lincoln extended their lead in the fourth quarter when a short ball from 15 metres out set up Sutcliffe to cross for a try under the posts, which Randell converted.
Former Lincoln Colts captain Ben Crowe handed off a Kesteven player and beat the covering defence from 25 metres out to go over for a try. Randell slotted over his third conversion of the night to complete the scoring.
POST MATCH COMMENTS
Lincoln’s Director of Senior Rugby Ross Tarnowski was proud of his side after a well-deserved away victory.
He said: “It was a great team effort using a lot of new players coming into the squad for this evening’s game.
“All the players stuck to the system and worked really hard to earn the right result on the scoreboard.
“Lewis Wilson put in a mammoth performance as captain, both half-back combinations looked promising, and it was great to see the pack working hard in attack and defence.
“It was great to see two new players score on their first team debuts – George Sutcliffe and Finlay Macdonald.
“It was a good game by Kesteven played in the right spirit. It was a developmental game for both sides and good to see them challenge us across all facets of the game. I look forward to see Kesteven again in the first game of the NLD Cup in June.”
Kesteven’s 1st XV captain Gavin Purvis had to watch from the sidelines due to injury, but was proud of his team for showing “plenty of heart”.
He said: “It was another good run out for the team, getting back to playing rugby. We had some good moments and played with plenty of heart.
“Fitness and concentration let us down at times. With a long way to go until the season starts it is good to see things we are working on in training come to fruition, but there is still a long way to go.”
