Lincoln beat Rasen firsts but Wolfhounds are victorious

This was always going to be a hotly-contested fixture, both teams coming together on the back of narrow wins the previous week.

Market Rasen started strongly from the kick-off. A perfect line out saw quick ball from the scrum half and rookie winger George Grant came inside to power over under the posts for the first try of the game, converted by Spen Holvey to make it 7-0 with four minutes gone.

Lincoln replied with a converted try of their own and then a penalty, before Rasen saw lock Connor Janney yellow carded which in turn left holes in the defence for Lincoln to scamper through and they went under the posts on 32 minutes for what would be a 17-7 half-time lead.

From the re-start of the second-half Lincoln were able to gather the ball, and with again strong running through the centre were able to score under the posts, again converted.

Rasen soon replied when, following another penalty kick to touch, they initiated an effective catch and drive for Grant to power over for his second try and make it 24-14.

However, Lincoln would score again soon afterwards, before Holvey reduced the arrears following a good passage of play from the visitors.

Another late try, though, would see Lincoln complete the scoring but Rasen can take heart from the belief in the team and the positive attitude permeating around the club as they prepare to head to Ilkeston this weekend.

*Market Rasen & Louth Wolfhounds’ season began with a resounding 63-10 win against local rivals, Lincoln.

With Lincoln’s forward pack containing plenty of bulk and experience, the Wolfhounds’ tactic of moving the ball wide to their young backline soon paid dividends, with tries in the first quarter coming from two Colts who were making their senior team debuts, Cross and Day.

The pair bagged a further try apiece during the second quarter, with scrum half Buck also scoring a close-range try after a good spell of pressure from the Wolfhounds’ pack.

Thanks to the accuracy of Buck (1) and Cross (4), all five conversion kicks were successful.

Lincoln’s forwards were making a game of it by scoring two tries of their own, bringing the half-time score to 35-12. There had been enough periods of pressure from a determined Lincoln side to suggest that they were not beaten just yet.

The second half began as the first had ended, with the Wolfhounds’ forwards putting in some great defensive work to nullify the threat of Lincoln’s pack, and the backs cutting loose with yet more tries in the wide channels.

Cross and Day completed their hat-tricks in the third quarter, with three of last year’s Colts, Wood, Vessey and Norman, contributing further tries in the second half, all of which owed much to the solid set piece and first and second phase work being done by the Wolfhounds’ forwards.

To compound matters for Lincoln, fly half Cross – with 31 points altogether – kept slotting over the conversions, even those from wide out on the touchline, turning each score into a seven-pointer.