Caldy on a high after they keep their place
IN A closely fought game it was the home side that came out on top to confirm their Championship status for another season.
Caldy’s taciturn director of rugby Gareth Davies was upbeat and delighted by the win.
He said: “For what is essentially a village rugby club to not only gain promotion to the second level of the English pyramid but secure their status with four games to go is an outstanding achievement.
“The lads did Caldy and the Wirral proud.”
London Scottish raced into an early lead with a well worked score by Luke Mehson which Caldy quickly countered through a typical forward drive with hooker Ollie Hearn dotting down and Elliott Gourlay converting.
There was little to choose between the sides. London Scottish centre Lennox Anyanwu and Caldy’s giant second row Tom Sanders traded scores with the conversions by Nathan Chamberlin and Elliott Gourlay keeping the contest close.
Just before the break London Scottish sneaked ahead with a converted
Matas Jurevicius score to leave the game delicately poised 14-19 at the break.
Caldy came out purposefully in the second half and the home side’s greater precision was the difference with scores by centre Dan Bibby and veteran winger Nick Royle pushing the Ravers to a bonus point win which ensures Championship rugby on the Wirral into 2024.
London Scottish director of rugby Brian Redpath acknowledged he home side’s greater accuracy and experience.
“We probably had the better of the territory and the possession but when it came down to the final execution we were lacking,” he said.
“Caldy got into our 22 four times and came away with scores on each occasion. We had seven excursions into the Caldy 22 but only picked up three scores, that is the difference at this level.”
For the nearly two thousand jubilant Caldy supporters present at Paton Field it was a joyous occasion.
Former Caldy scrumhalf Mick Young summed up the mood. “For Caldy