LINCOLN 3RD XV 33
GAINSBOROUGH 2ND XV 24
BY JOSEPH VERNEY
PHOTO CREDIT: ALEX TAYLOR
Jack Randell scored two tries and produced a man-of-the-match display as Lincoln’s 3rd XV claimed a 33-24 home victory against a battling Gainsborough side.
Kieran Hawkes also grabbed a brace of tries for the hosts and James Willows-Chamberlin crossed for one, while Randell kicked four conversions.
Lee Copperwheat scored two tries for Gainsborough, with George Hutton and Andy Kelly each scoring one. Mark Ellis was named as Gainsborough’s man-of-the-match.
Randell grabbed his first try either side of Gainsborough’s opening two to ensure that Lincoln only trailed 12-5 going in at the break.
The young fly-half got the ball on halfway before stepping one man to leave him with a near clear run to the try line. He then stepped past the full-back before running in for a try.
Gainsborough extended their lead with a converted try before Lincoln once again cut the gap in the score.
Chris Smith made a break from halfway before popping the ball to Willows-Chamberlin, who was stopped just short of the try line. The ball then went through the hands to set up Hawkes to go over for a try. Randell added the extras.
Gainsborough extended their lead with a fourth try, but Lincoln hit back with 21 unanswered points to secure a great victory.
Scrum-half Alex Taylor, who played the full 80 minutes on his first home appearance for Lincoln in four years, fly hacked the ball through for Randell to chase and dot down for a try. Randell also successfully slotted over the conversion.
Lincoln completed the comeback when Randell stormed down the wing and offloaded the ball to Kodi Strand in the tackle.
Strand was then wrapped up by a Gainsborough tackle, but managed to offload to a strong supporting run from Willows-Chamberlin, who ran clean through to cross the whitewash. Randell added the extras.
Lincoln made sure of the victory when Hawkes powered through to players to run from the 22 for a try in the corner, which Randell converted.
After the match Lincoln 3rd XV’s stand-in captain Josh Holiday said: “The lads played well despite the poor conditions that leant themselves more to a forwards game rather than running rugby.
“We made good tackles to stop many Gainsborough attempts to power over the line, and when we got the chance we had good handling to get our scores.
“Man-of-the-match was Jack Randell, and for comedy at one point we had a heavier centre pairing than back row with me and Jack Miles in the centres for 20 minutes.”
