By ANDI STARR
AFTER the disappointment of that last-gasp defeat at
Bedford Nottingham had a point to prove.
And they bounced back in style with a win over London Scottish
every bit as comprehensive as the 54-9 scoreline suggests.
SPEEDSTER: Rhys Crane scores the
third of Nottingham's seven tries in the 54-9 win at Meadow Lane.
PIC: Steven Galloway
After a slow start the Green and Whites gradually found their
rhythm and were in complete control well before the half-time
break, two late tries giving them a 12-point lead.
They underlined that domination with another five second-half
tries, Scottish reduced to little more than the occasional counter
attack.
Yet, it was the visitors who had the better start, a couple of
long range penalties from full back James Love giving them a 6-nil
lead inside the opening 20 minutes.
James Arlidge got first points on the board for Nottingham with
a penalty on 12 minutes, before levelling the scores with a second
midway through the first half.
By this stage the Green and Whites were dominating possession,
and kept play in the Scottish half for long periods.
A third Arlidge penalty put them ahead for the first time in the
game seven minutes before the break, only for Love to level again
five minutes later.
The pressure built as half time approached. Joe Duffey so nearly
got the opening try when he dived over as he was tackled but
couldn't control the ball. And Joe Munro really should have done
better when he was sent clear with just one man to beat five metres
out.
Several half chances came to nothing but then Nottingham finally
got their reward with two tries in first half injury time, and with
Scottish a man short following a yellow card for Lewis Calder.
First it was the pack who drove skipper Brent Wilson over, and
then another good effort from the pack opening up the defence for
Nic Rouse to crash over.
With Arlidge adding the conversion to Rouse's effort the Green
and Whites went in at the break leading 21-9.
They stretched that lead within minutes of the restart as winger
Rhys Crane raced clear down the left, Arlidge making it 28-9 with
the conversion.
With Nottingham now enjoying total
dominance the bonus point try soon followed as David Jackson
(pictured right) broke through from close range.
The one-way traffic continued and Jacko got his second of the
night following an excellent offload from replacement Tom
Calladine.
A thrilling break from Joe Cobden as Nottingham gathered the
restart kick took him into the visitors' 22 where he sent Tim
Streather in, Rory Lynn taking over the kicking duties to add the
conversion to make it 47-9 with three minutes remaining on the
clock.
And Streather got a second in injury time, Lynn completing the
scoring with the conversion.
Nottingham Rugby 54 (Jackson 2, Streather 2,
Wilson, Rouse, Crane, tries; Lynn 3 Arlidge 2 conv; Arlidge 3)
London Scottish 9 (Love 3 pen)
Nottingham Rugby: 15 Andrew Savage 14 David
Jackson 13 Tim Streather 12 Joe Munro (22 Joe Cobden 52mins) 11
Rhys Crane 10 James Arlidge (21 Rory Lynn 60mins) 9 Sean Romans (20
Finlay Barnham 68mins) 1 Matt Parr 2 Joe Duffey (16 Scott Wright 68
mins) 3 Michael Holford (17 Ryan Bower 63mins) 4 Dan Montagu (18
Joe Quinn 63mins) 5 Nic Rouse 6 Rupert Cooper (19 Tom Calladine
68mins) 7 Brent Wilson 8 Alex Shaw.
Referee: Ian Tempest
Attendance:1187