Match Report

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East Midlands hosted Staffordshire at Northampton Casuals for the closing match of the Bill Beaumont Cup in Division 2.

Staffordshire opened the score line early in the game with an interception 3 minutes into the match. Henry Knox was well placed to take advantage of a loose pass in the East Midlands formation, sprinting to the line and giving Staffordshire an early lead and the psychological advantage at the start of the game.

Less than ten minutes later Staffordshire crossed the line again, this time with James Davies performing the honours. Had East Midlands been a less able team then this would have been the pattern for the easiest route to the final that a team could have had.

East Midlands seemed to rally and gain control of the game for a while with Lui Natui crossing the line to open the score line for East Midlands.

Soon after a quickly taken penalty tap kick saw Lewis Barker crossing the line to bring East Midlands back into the game once again.

Half time the score line stood at 12-14 with East Midlands trailing but with their tails high as they headed in for the break.

The second half started well for East Midlands with Charlie Frankham being dragged over the line with East Midlands starting to hope that things were turning their way with the score line now at 17-14.

A lack of concentration in the East Midlands squad saw a penalty awarded to Staffordshire, Chaz Buntin duly levelled the scoreboard with the gifted points and the tension raised for both sides. The increased pressure saw a needless infringement by Josh Kent for an off the ball tackle handing the initiative once more to Staffordshire with the advantage of an extra man on the pitch.

Next to score was East Midlands with Taylor Gourlay crossing the line, but with the tension almost palpable, Max Titchner missed the conversion, leaving the score line at 22-17.

In an appropriate last-minute drama, Henry Knox once more crossed the line in the final minutes of additional time to once again level the score. This time however, the conversion was slotted through the uprights by Chaz Bunting taking Staffordshire just ahead at the close!

After a thrilling game where the control and hope had moved back and forth between the teams, the last-minute twist was in keeping. East Midlands gave a hearty effort with the result showing just how critical every point in a match can be.

Full Time

East Midlands: 22
Staffordshire: 24