Leamington 20 Earlsdon 20: In-form Spa claim a draw after giving league leaders an almighty scare

Leamington’s recent form against Earlsdon has not been impressive and the visitors gave an indication of their capabilities in the opening seconds of the game when the pace of their forwards caught Spa cold and it was only the quick and decisive intervention of Patrick Northover and Ryan Byrne that kept the visitors out.

This, however, was a temporary reprieve as the Earlsdon backline received possession from a lineout to score a well-worked try under the posts.

Spa responded with a lineout claim from Craig Smith allowing Northover to unleash his backs. The move ended with Earlsdon conceding a penalty which Northover despatched to narrow the deficit.

The visitors restored their seven-point lead with another penalty and then added to their tally with a drop-goal.

Spa refused to panic and worked themselves back into the game with a well-worked try of their own.

The lineout once again proved the catalyst, with the big Spa forwards producing a superb driving maul to crash over, Greevy getting the final touch.

In difficult conditions, the conversion attempt just drifted wide.

Spa had a sublime start to the second period with Byrne and John Raby close to providing a match-levelling try.

Spa were oozing confidence and Adam Preece, who had another solid performance in the number 15 shirt, fielded the ball and sent over the deftest of kicks to the wing where Byrne was on hand to gather the ball and race over in the corner.

Tom Secher then stepped up to send over a massive conversion attempt to give his side a slender two-point lead.

It was to prove a very productive period for Spa and they increased their lead with another cleverly engineered score.

Byrne showed his pace again and got Spa into the Earlsdon final quarter.

Smith then carried the ball at speed towards the try line and despite some strong defending, Nick Maxwell muscled over to give Spa a seven-point cushion.

At this stage Earlsdon knew they had to give a response and credit to the league leaders, they hit back with force.

First they managed to get the ball into the Spa 22 and put pressure on the hosts. Then, from scrappy ball won in the scrum, they punched a hole in the Spa defence to score, once again, under the posts.

The visitors, having drawn level, smelt victory and began to up their game and become encamped in Spa territory.

Northover alleviated pressure with a kick to touch, then Jamie Harrison, on as replacement, hit back for Spa with a couple of penetrative runs.

And while both sides may have felt deprived of a victory, a draw was a true reflection on the game.