The Peterborough Evening Telegraph
Borough turn a comfortable win into an agonising defeat
Rugby union - Yellow cards prove costly for PRUFC, while Peterborough Lions struggle again
Peterborough Rugby Club player/coach Phil Powell had no doubts about what turned a comfortable win into an agonising Midlands Division One East defeat at Lutterworth last weekend.
Borough looked set for a handsome success to follow their outstanding result and performance against title fancies Derby the weekend before when battling their way to a 160 half-time lead.
And they were still in control midway through the second half after a fine individual try from Ben Crooks saw them push 23-10 in front.
But one controversial yellow card decision against Borough winger Mooki Tshepo Otto was followed quickly by a trip to the sin bin for Lance Percival, thus turning the game on its head in the final quarter with the hosts bagging a last-gasp try to complete a 27-26 win.
“Fair play to Lutterworth as they really upped their game in the second-half,” Powell stated. “But we were still in control, and in fact we were camped on the Lutterworth try line, when Mooki was penalised for holding someone down in a ruck and was given a yellow card.
“I’ve never seen a decision like that considering where we were on the field and it cost us.
“It was frustrating as we’d played well at a difficult venue. Lutterworth have only lost once at home this season and they did peg us back in our own half for most of the second half, but we should have won this game.”
Impressive Borough flyhalf Matt Newman opened the scoring with a penalty, soon added another three points and then converted a second try in two weeks for powerful forward Ben Higton.
Newman then landed a huge penalty kick to give Borough a commanding half-time lead which Crooks protected after Lutterworth had clawed their way back to 16-10.
But the alleged ill-discipline from Otto – Powell accepted Charity’s yellow card – proved costly.
Lutterworth got back to within a point with two tries before Newman landed another long-range penalty to make it 26-22 to Borough.
Borough were back up to 14 men, but couldn’t withstand some late pressure as Lutterworth
dived over in the corner to win the match in the 80th minute.
Borough host fellow midtable dwellers Market Harborough at Fengate on Saturday (2.15pm) confident a return to home soil will be decisive.
PETERBOROUGH LIONS
It never rains, only pours, for poor old Peterborough Lions.
Their disastrous Midlands Premier Division campaign continued with 71-0 battering at second-placed Sheffield last weekend and next up is a home match against leaders Bourneville at Bretton Park on Saturday. And they must take on a side basking in 10 wins in 10 matches without Aussie ace
Oakeley Mellish, a rare bright light for Lions this season, who has returned home.
OUNDLE
Oundle remain third in Midlands Division One East after coming from 6-0 down to win 12-6 at Market Harborough last weekend. Rob Shingles and Saad Sait scored tries.