Winning run ends and Derby miss out on bonus, too
DERBY 15 PETERBOROUGH 25
DERBY slipped from second to third in Midlands One East as their winning run was ended by Peterborough at Haslams Lane.
The home side were aiming for their sixth successive victory but were beaten 25-15, the winners leap-frogging them to go second.
“It was a close game, the scoreline didn’t really reflect the contest,” said Derby head coach Mark Bradley.
“They perhaps played the conditions probably better than we did. They made less mistakes and capitalised on our mistakes to score their tries.
“It’s a shame we didn’t pick up a bonus point because I think we deserved that. An error at the end denied us a losing bonus point as they took advantage to score a try in the dying seconds.
“Our attitude and performance was fine, it was just those little things that caught us out.”
For the second week in a row, the game was played in atrocious conditions, with driving rain in the mix as well as the freezing temperatures.
And Derby were caught cold inside the opening minute when Peterborough scored a converted try on the first attack.
However, the home side responded when winger Lewis Hancock kicked a penalty and they were were ahead in the 18th minute.
Hancock broke free before feeding Will Town and he teed up centre Ethan Pearson, who recently joined Derby From Loughborough University, to go over for his first try for the club, although the conversion came back off the post.
Peterborough led at half-time, however, after regaining the lead in the 27th minute. The visitors were awarded a penalty and opted to kick for goal but the attempt went wide, Derby then choosing to run the ball out of defence.
But they got isolated, lost the ball and Peterborough ran in an unconverted try for a 12-8 lead at the break.
Three minutes into the second half, the visitors had a player sent to the sin bin but Derby were unable to make their numerical advantage count.
They did take the lead when Peterborough were restored to full strength. The visitors were pushed back over their own line and a clearance kick went to Derby full-back Andy Brown, who spotted a gap in the Peterborough defence to burst through and touch down under the posts.
Hancock converted and Derby led 15-12.
But the home side started to give away too many penalties, ultimately paying the price when Declan McManus was sent to the sin bin, Peterborough kicking the three points to tie the game at 15-15.
Two minutes later, the visitors scored their third try to take the lead once again, although the extras were missed.
And in stoppage time, Peterborough went over for their fourth bonus point try, again unconverted, to seal the win.