Late penalty sinks brave Students
NATIONAL LEAGUE ONE LOUGHBOROUGH STUDENTS 21
OLD ELTHAMIANS 25 AFTER last week’s upset away to Caldy, Loughborough Students would go on to begin their home campaign against Kent giants Old Elthamians.
The weather on the day was mild and overcast, with no wind. Therefore, the first half began with the ball moving at a high velocity.
The two seemed locked in battle until Elthamians opened the scoring in the 20th minute thanks to a penalty lineout.
Loughborough weren’t easily deterred though, and continued to contest and put their bodies on the line well within the Elthamians half, Will Kaye scoring a convered try in the 32nd minute as the Students closed the half 17-7 down.
With the break over, the two sides returned to the pitch with Elthamians having a firm grip on the game. The tide of the game then drastically changed. Whatever team talk that transpired on the try line sure made an impact, as Loughborough went into the restart a newly re-invigorated team. This new zeal came to fruition in the 60th minute. Loughborough’s backs, in an incredible display of quick ball handling and offload excellence, took the ball within a few yards of the Elthamians line. Callum Lynch then touched the ball down off the subsequent set piece to bring Loughborough closer to drawing level.
Oskar Hirskyj Douglas picked up the ball just beyond the half way line and made a blistering run down the centre of the field, only to be brought down and held up on the try line.
The subsequent scrum saw an Elthamians forward rear his head up too early and a penalty try was awarded. The score now stood with just one point separating the two sides, as every Loughborough try had been converted.
The game looked there for Loughborough’s taking; but a late penalty secured Elthamians’s narrow victory