Ton-up Lloyd helps Beckett down the champions

ROUND 3 defied expectations as Leeds Beckett, Cardiff Met, Bath and Durham all prospered on another Wednesday night of breathless BUCS action. Defending champions

Hartpury were despatched by Beckett 34-25 at Gillman’s Ground.

Conor Lloyd opened the scoring by surpassing 100 BSR points with a penalty before two quickfire tries from Elias Caven and Jack Reeves put the home side in charge. Nathan Chamberlain stretched the lead by three but the impressive Johan Visser bit back for Beckett from a driving maul, leaving them in touch 15-10 at the break.

Chamberlain added another penalty but Lloyd finished and converted superbly to make it a onepoint game. Lloyd was soon seeing red, though, when he and Pury hooker Jordan Liney were dismissed for throwing punches.

A scoring frenzy followed with Tom Williams, Harry Collier and Chester Duff all dotting down. Robbie Smith gave the home side a glimmer of two BPs but the Champions ended the night with nothing. Three games in and

Loughborough remain winless after being edged by Cardiff Met 21-17 at Cyncoed.

Despite conceding three early points the African Violets started brightly with James Spencer crossing first for a converted score. However, it was not long before debutant Barry Karea exploded through enemy lines for the Archers to lead 10-7.

Russell Bennett and Charlie Reed exchanged penalties but Met seized the ultimate initiative courtesy of an Edoardo Balocco try and another Bennett penalty. Loughborough fought to the

end earning a losing bonus point in the 78th minute but it is Met who are hot on the heels of leaders Northumbria.

Bath bounced back from two opening losses with a riveting 41-36 win over an obdurate Nottingham Trent.

Ed Rimmer’s solitary effort for Bath was overshadowed by his captain and try addict Tom Doughty who landed a first-half hat-trick. No extras were added from the tee allowing Trent to stay in the halftime hunt, trailing 20-17 thanks to Scott Hall and Matt Riddington, the later converting both tries and slotting a penalty.

Bath extended their lead when Angus Hinton and Will Butt touched down and, with Hugo Styles finding his kicking boots, the Brothers led by 17 points.

Home nerves began to jangle when a double from behemoth prop Cecil MacCarthy reduced arrears to five but a penalty try put the Trent comeback just beyond reach, although a late converted Harry Graham effort made it a tense finish.

Durham are undefeated and on a roll after beating old foes Exeter 29-28 in an epic at Durham City RFC.

Matt Welsh and Myles Rawstron-Rudd helped the Palatinate race to an early 12-0 lead. Pierre Thompson’s finish pegged them back but Saul Melvin-Farr soon restored their cushion.

Exeter struck back before half time through forwards Josh Pieterse and Jack Rouse, allowing Sam Morley’s impeccable kicking to be the difference; 19-22 at the break

Tom Catterick nudged Durham ahead with a penalty but it was advantage EURFC when Jack Capon scored.

Step up Fitz Harding who went in without a green fingerprint on him for the decisive score. Catterick converted and the Durham faithful celebrated wildly.