BOSTON 1ST XV 7
LINCOLN 1ST XV 40
BY JOSEPH VERNEY
Cynyr Jones marked his first team debut with two tries and a man-of-the-match display as Lincoln won 40-7 at Boston.
Jones was one of five players to make his debut for Lincoln on Saturday, with full-back Edan Kelly, prop Ben Crowe, number eight Ryan Martin and scrum-half Scotty Edmed all impressing off the bench for the visitors.
Grant Cowe and captain Lewis Wilson caused a lot of problems for Boston’s defence, with the latter capping his performance with a try.
Crowe also crossed for a try for Lincoln and Thomas Brookes grabbed two, with Richie Dixon successfully kicking over five of his six conversions.
Rowan Mason, who was one of Boston’s strongest performers, scored the host’s only try of the match which their new captain Matt Bray converted.
Both sides were keen to return to action after over a year without matches due to the coronavirus pandemic. Lincoln 1st XV’s last game ended in a 27-14 home win over Coalville on March 14 last year.
Boston started strongly and opened the scoring through Mason, who played centre, wing and scrum-half during the match. After a well worked back of the lineout move, Mason broke the Lincoln line to score a try under the posts, which Bray converted.
Lincoln reduced the deficit after a ruck in the far right corner around 10 metres out from the try line.
Jack Noquet went blind and passed to Jim Calveley, who popped the ball out to Jones. Jones then stepped past a player and spun inside before bouncing off a tackle and, with an outstretched arm while moving backwards, he scored the try.
Lincoln moved in front when captain Wilson burst through and ran 40 metres before offloading the ball to Chapman. Chapman then passed the ball back to his centre partner, who stepped inside and went over for a try, which Dixon converted.
Jones was having a superb debut and it wasn’t long before he crossed for his second try of the match.
After a quick ball from a ruck near the halfway line, Lincoln pushed the ball out wide with quick hands. Owen Mitchinson then passed the ball to Jones, who ran down the wing to score a try in the corner, which Dixon converted.
Brookes, who was playing at hooker, caught the ball out on the wing after a pass from Chapman and ran in for the first of his two tries.
Dixon once again added the extras to give Lincoln a 26-7 lead going in at the break.
Substitute Ryan Martin marked his debut with an assist as his pass set up Brookes, who dummied one player and handed off another before crossing for a try in the corner. Dixon successfully slotted over the conversion.
Prop Crowe has risen through the junior ranks at Lincoln and previously captained the club’s Colts side. He impressed on his senior debut for the first team, which he marked with a try as he stepped a player and dragged the next tackler over the try line with him.
Dixon kicked over his fifth conversion of the match to complete the scoring and a fine afternoon for Lincoln.
Lincoln’s biggest strengths were low tackles and very good handling, with the team’s structure and system working well for large parts of the game.
POST MATCH COMMENTS
Lincoln captain Lewis Wilson praised his side’s performance and in particular that of the five debutants.
He said: “We had good phases and it was good to blood some new players and give some debuts, with a special mention to Cynyr Jones for his performance. He scored two and was solid in defence.
“Boston are a great set of lads and it was great to play against some of my rugby league mates.
“Boston are building with a good coaching set up and I wish them the best of luck in the NLD Cup and the upcoming season.”
Boston forward Lewis Eldin said: “”It was a great game where we started strongest and competed for spells, but Lincoln’s strong running and our defensive inadequacies in the middle two quarters cost us in the end.
“It was a great to be back playing rugby and thanks to Lincoln for a great game.”
