Ashbourne suffer big loss in county derby

James Lyon and Will Farr went over for tries in that half, Farr converting the first of them.

Farr singled out a string of players for praise, not least 19-year-old outside flanker Bailey Shaw.

“For me, that is one of the key positions in the team and he was excellent,” said the manager.

“Adam Bostock is only 19 or 20 and tight head prop is usually an old man’s game but he’s going to be a lovely player.

“Hooker Henry Ainsworth started the season as third choice and now he’s first choice by a mile – he was superb.”

Other youngsters picked out were wingers Dominic Shrimpling and Jake Wheildon – the latter can only play on alternate weeks to his brother Tom, as they also have to help out on their father’s dairy farm at weekends.

In addition, the team welcomed back second row forward Andy Beresford, who was injured at the start of the season and made his comeback against Melbourne.

Ashbourne are now one game – away to Newark on Saturday – away from the seasonal break in a difficult campaign and have only one win but the opportunity to lift themselves up the table remains.

Just as Farr predicted early in the season, Midlands Two East (North) has split into a top six and a bottom six.

“When we have played Newark, we will have played second, third and fourth in successive weeks, a really tough run,” he said.

“If we get anywhere near Newark, that will be a real positive.”

The real trick will be picking up better results against those around them in the second half of the season, the sole win so far having come against the only team below them in the table, Coalville, who have played one more match and have a significantly inferior points difference.

“It seems to me that if we only won two, we could be up to seventh in the table,” added Farr.

BILLIARDS

ELLASTONE B scored their first win of the season, beating Mayfield A 3-1.

Leaders Ellastone E did not have a game but still have two in hand after Mayfield C closed the gap a little by beating Ellastone A 4-0.

Mayfield A also beat Mayfield B 3-1, while the only big break of the latest round of games was D Feely’s 41.