CREWE NANTWICH, the only team in the region to survive the weekend’s horrid weather, pulled off a dogged 29-12 home win over Tamworth to go second in Midlands Two West (North).
It was a day for gritting it out – for players and spectators alike – and most of a generous crowd had retired to the sanctuary of the clubhouse by the second half of Crewe’s victory.
Four of Crewe’s five tries came from driving mauls and the like as the forwards relished the unfavourable pitch and overhead conditions.
Hooker Eli Woodward touched down twice, flanker Matt Standley once and man-of-the-match Phil Alcock flew the flag for the second row by going over as well.
The one exception was their third try just after half-time when the ball was passed through several pairs of hands before winger Tim Cowap crashed through a couple of defenders to score in the corner.
Tamworth were also reliant on power rather than finesse in the conditions and their final score came when a 15-man drive led to a penalty try being awarded.
Victory leaves Crewe eight points adrift of leaders Leek with a game in hand, and coach Andy Brown says: “They are red-hot favourites. They are catchable if they make mistakes, but at the moment they are going well.
“We have just got to keep on playing and winning, but at the moment we are in contention for second and third.”
LEEK were backed by 100 supporters for their Midlands Intermediate Cup semi-final at Newbold-on-Avon in Warwickshire – only for the tie to be called off late in the day because of the floods.
The nearby River Avon burst its banks, and by the time of kick-off much of the playing surface and surrounding area was ankle deep in water.
Leek will play Bridgnorth in the final if they negotiate their way past Newbold when the game is re-staged on February 22.
Bridgnorth stunned Leighton Buzzard in the other semi-final by inflicting a first defeat of the season on the Bedfordshire outfit.
And Bridgnorth just happen to be the next team to travel to Leek this coming weekend when the Moorlanders will have their unbeaten home record come under pressure from a team winning its last six games.
NEWCASTLE’S Midlands Senior Vase semi-final at Stewarts Lloyds also fell victim to the weather, while LONGTON’S re-arranged trip to South Leicester in National League Three Midlands was also rained off.
FORMER Longton and Stoke scrum-half Dan Robson was in the bad books on his England Saxons debut.
The 21-year-old, who plays for Gloucester, was named in the starting XV for Friday’s 16-16 draw with Scotland A in Glasgow.
But Robson’s evening started in inauspicious fashion after he was sin-binned in the 18th minute for stamping.
England led 10-6 at the break, with Robson now back and performing well, but the hosts battled back after the interval to ensure honours were even.
Rugby Union: Crewe & Nantwich beat weather to keep pressure on leaders Leek
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