Foden provides a fitting farewell

Chester ............ 31 Sheffield T .... 27

ENGLAND international Ben Foden signed off from his stint with boyhood club Chester with a try as they secured a bonus-point win against Sheffield Tigers.

Foden, who now joins Major League Rugby franchise Rugby United New York, had been training with the club before lining up to play with his brother Thomas.

The hosts took just one minute to take the lead through star man Shay Owen, with the No.8 flooring numerous defenders to score. A try from hooker Alick Croft, via a rolling maul, extended the hosts’ lead after 13 minutes, with James Robinson converting.

George Baxter then added a third, with Robins converting again, before two quickfire tries from the visitors, first Thomas Hart and second Lewis Bloor, were converted by Mark Ireland – who added another penalty before the break. Ireland then gave the visitors the lead for the first time with another penalty before Croft's second try, again from a rolling maul, was converted by Robins.

However, the visitors were back in front on 70 minutes when scrumhalf Ryan Holmes dotted down and Ireland converted. But Ben Foden had the perfect send-off after he picked up from the ruck and dived over the whitewash for the crucial winning try.