First XV - Match Reports
Coventry 24 Nottingham 27
Saturday 26th April 2008
It was all set up to be a dramatic climax to what has been an extraordinary season for Nottingham.
Level on points with Exeter Chiefs, who faced a tough trip to Doncaster, the Green and Whites had to gain one point more than Chiefs in order to leapfrog them and into second place.
To do that they had to win at Coventry - hardly the happiest of hunting grounds.
There was certainly no ‘last game of the season’ abandon about either side at the Butts Park Arena - both had a job to do.
It was rarely pretty, but it was always intense and absorbing.
It wasn’t until midway through the first half that Nottingham broke the deadlock. As they drove from a close range lineout Coventry’s attempts to stop them were adjudged to be illegal by the match referee who awarded the penalty try, which Matt Smith converted.
Almost from the restart though Coventry were level as George Dixon beat several challenges to send Myles Dorrian in under the posts, with Ronnie McLean converting.
The home side defended well when they were reduced to fourteen men following a yellow card for hooker Chris Whitehead, but the pressure eventually told and the pack drove from a lineout, with Luke Sherriff forcing his way over.
Two minutes later a thrilling break from Rohaan Nirmalendran sent Alex Dodge clear, Smith’s conversion making it 19-7.
But Coventry finished the half well and cut the Nottingham lead with a try from prop Dai Maddocks which McLean converted to make it 19-14 at the break.
With little to choose between the sides it was again nip and tuck over the third quarter, before the home side eventually forced a score.
A quickly taken penalty from replacement Nathan Jones saw No 8 Laurence McGlone make ground before sending Donovan Sanders clear to level the scores, McLean giving them a two point lead with the conversion.
Few players personify determination more than Tim Molenaar though and having had a first half effort ruled out he broke away down the middle to get the fourth try, and with it the bonus point that was key to any hopes of a second placed finish.
Replacement Tim Taylor’s effort rattled the posts.
But with ten minutes to go the scores were level as McLean put over a penalty, but then missed the chance to put his side in front following an incident that saw Sherriff sin binned.
Whilst it could be argued that a draw would have been a fair result, Nottingham knew they needed more than that and set about forcing a winning score.
It eventually came in injury time as the home defence conceded a penalty under their posts for Smith to make it 27-24.
The final whistle minutes later was greeted by loud cheers from the travelling ‘Green Army’ but there was an anxious wait for news from Castle Park.
After a couple of encouraging reports it finally emerged that a try from Kevin Barrett, in the 8th minute of injury time, had given Chiefs the bonus point win they needed to secure second place.
For some, that may have taken the edge off Nottingham’s afternoon.
But it shouldn’t. Winning at Coventry is never easy and it took every ounce of determination to achieve this one.
Doing the double over them is an even bigger achievement, and completed a season that few would have imagined eight months ago.
Nottingham: Nirmalendran; Savage, Molenaar, Smith, Dodge; Thompson (Taylor), Usasz (Pilgrim); Parr (Hopkins), Loney (Duffey), Hall, Rouse, Morley, Hammond (capt), Sherriff, Montagu (Stannard).
Tries: Penalty Try, Sherriff, Dodge, Molenaar. Convs: Smith (2). Pen: Smith.
Esher 7 Nottingham 31
Saturday 19th April 2008
Despite first use of a strong wind Nottingham struggled to get going in this game.
It was Esher who made the brighter start, taking play to the visitors and eventually forcing a penalty which Neil Hallett pushed wide.
Once Nottingham got into their stride though there was no stopping them and Esher were forced to defend for much of the second period.
Andy Savage twice got away down the right to set up the opening scores.
Although he was brought down just outside the home 22 his first break set up the position from which Tim Usasz and Tim Taylor quickly sent the ball over to the opposite wing for Alex Dodge to cross in the corner.
Savage’s second break again opened up the defence and as he was tackled he managed to send a well judged overhead pass to the supporting Rohaan Nirmalendran, who had a simple run in to touch down under the posts and give Taylor an easy conversion for 12-nil.
Just as Esher were threatening to get back into the game though they lost control of the ball around halfway. Matt Smith hacked it forward and got there first as it crossed the line and gave Taylor another straightforward conversion to give Nottingham a 19-nil lead at the break.
The all important bonus point was in the bag within minutes of the restart as the pack drove over from a close range lineout, Luke Sherriff getting the touch down.
Nottingham’s set piece domination was causing problems for the home side, and when they stole another Esher lineout they quickly turned defence into attack to stretch their lead.
Replacement Ben Thompson had only been on the field a minute or so, and with his first touch he took advantage of a gaping hole down the left for try number five, Taylor converting to make it 31-nil twelve minutes into the second half.
The only surprise was that this proved to be Nottingham’s last score. Much as they continued to dominate, they struggled to break down a determined Esher side.
Frustration mounted and the game deteriorated into a scrappy affair.
Esher had not scored a single point in their previous two games, but finally gave their supporters something to cheer about in the dying minutes as full back Doug Flockhart managed to get clear to score, with Hallett tagging on the conversion.
Nottingham finished the game camped on the home line but the Esher defence continued to frustrate them and held them out.
A disappointing game in many ways, and certainly a drop down from the level of the previous two.
But with everything to play for this weekend it promises to be a thrilling end to what has been an extraordinary season.
Nottingham: Nirmalendran; Savage (Barlow), Molenaar, Smith, Dodge (Thompson); Taylor (Logan), Usasz (Pilgrim); Parr, Loney (Duffey), Hall (Hopkins), Rouse, Morley (Stannard), Hammond (capt), Sherriff, Montagu.
Tries: Dodge, Nirmalendran, Smith, Sherriff, Thompson. Convs: Taylor (3).
Nottingham 24 Exeter Chiefs 14
Sunday 19th April 2008
This was another see-saw game with the Green and Whites enjoying much the better of the first period, but then forced to defend to their absolute best in the face of a second half onslaught.
They kept their nerve and their discipline though to take a prized scalp - and avenge that cup defeat at Exeter a couple of weeks ago.
“This is a big, big moment for our club,” said Director of Rugby Glenn Delaney. “We have now beaten one of the big teams.
"That was as good as it gets. We played our best rugby of the year against top class opposition.”
One of Meadow Lane’s biggest crowds of the season, just short of 2,000, watched with growing anticipation as Nottingham built up a 17-nil lead by the break.
It all started in the eleventh minute as fine interplay between Matt Smith and David Jackson created the gap for Tim Molenaar to crash through for his 25th try for the club, Jackson doing well to add the conversion.
With Nottingham enjoying a level of possession few would have expected against such high quality opposition that sense of expectancy among the crowd grew by the minute.
But the Chiefs defence is among the most disciplined in this division, and chances were difficult to come by.
Jackson’s penalty, following a high tackle, midway through that first period opened up a ten point gap as the Green and Whites continued to hammer away.
It was not until six minutes before the break though that the pack finally got its reward for some excellent play, driving skipper Craig Hammond over for the second try of the day.
Jackson was again on target with the conversion, but it was Chiefs who dominated the remainder of the half, and gave a glimpse of what was to come.
Their second half performance belied any thought that maybe they had their forthcoming cup final on their minds as they steadily set about getting back into contention.
But their task became even more difficult when Alex Loney celebrated this 100th appearance for Nottingham with a try from a close range lineout, Jackson’s conversion making it 24-nil.
By this stage it was a question of whether or not Nottingham could force a fourth try to earn the bonus point that would take them above Chiefs into second place. A determined effort from Chiefs though turned that question on its head as they got within touching distance of a bonus point themselves.
A try from Junior Fatialofa, also from a lineout, set them on their way, Tony Yapp converting to make it 24-7.
Five minutes later and a couple of five metre scrums saw replacement Richar Baxter crash over, Yapp again converting to make it 24-14.
The last ten minutes were anxious as Chiefs threw everything into all out attack, while the occasional Nottingham counter suggested a four try bonus point could yet be a possibility.
In the end the Nottingham defence proved good enough to earn the victory to draw level on points with Chiefs.
Nottingham: Jackson; Savage, Smith, Molenaar, Dodge; Thompson, Usasz; Parr (Hopkins), Loney (Loney), Hall, Morley (Stannard), Rouse, Hammond, Sherriff, Montagu.
Tries:Molenaar, Hammond, Loney. Convs: Jackson (3). Pen: Jackson.
Attendance: 1905.
Chino Latino Man of the Match: Tim Usasz.
Northampton Saints 17 Nottingham 10
Saturday 29th March 2008
Northampton Saints expected a tough game, but few would have expected to come so close to seeing their 100% record slip away.
All the more so as Nottingham played the entire second half a man short following a red card for Joe Duffey.
Any thoughts of a landslide though were swept aside as Nottingham put together what Glenn Delaney described as the best defensive performance of the season.
As if that were not enough, Nottingham finished the game camped in the home 22 and had a good case for a penalty try that could have brought a draw.
It was a magnificent effort all round, one that left every Nottingham supporter bursting with pride.
A strong start from the home side saw New Zealand international Bruce Reihana kick a brace of penalties.
But as Nottingham began to get into the game they caused a few problems for their hosts, particularly at the lineout.
Another spell of pressure from Saints looked likely to produce a score but when the ball fell loose Tim Usasz hacked it forward to set up a race that took play back into the home 22.
The defence cleared to touch, but the Nottingham pack got its reward with a pushover try from the resulting lineout, prop Matt Parr celebrating his 50th league game for the club and David Jackson giving them a one point lead a minute before the break with the conversion.
But then came the incident which changed the game as Saints hit straight back. Duffey got a red card for allegedly stamping, and Reihana’s last kick of the half put his side back in front at 9-7.
Duffey’s card meant Nottingham had to bring on a front row forward for the second half.
That in turn meant sacrificing winger Andy Savage, which left them seriously exposed down the right.
And so what was already a difficult task should have become an impossibility.
But the landslide many Saints supporters anticipated never happened.
Joe Ansbro crossed ten minutes into the second half, but the longer the game went on the stronger the Nottingham defence became.
Saints went close several times, with one shuddering try saving tackle from Tim Molenaar on former Green and White hero Mark Easter the highlight.
The frustration among the home crowd also grew, and there was considerable relief when Reihana slotted over his fourth penalty of the day to open up a seven point lead with a couple of minutes of normal time remaining.
But it was Nottingham who finished the game on the attack, forcing a lineout in the home 22 and going for the drive.
With Saints penalised for pulling the first maul down the kick brought a closer lineout, and an even stronger drive.
Saints supporters held their breath - the Green Army urged their heroes on. But somehow the defence held them up and eventually forced an error to regain possession and clear, signalling the final whistle.
But every Saint - player and supporter - knew how close they had come to losing their 100% record.
Nottingham: Jackson; Savage (Loney), Molenaar, Smith, Dodge (Nirmalendran); Thompson, Usasz (Pilgrim); Parr (Hopkins), Duffey, Hall, Rouse, Morley (Stannard), Hammond (capt), Sherriff, Montague.
Try: Parr. Conv: Jackson. Pen: Jackson.
Nottingham 26 Launceston 12
Sunday 23rd March 2008
As cup hangovers go this was bad.
A week after coming so close to reaching a Twickenham cup final Nottingham struggled to build, let alone maintain, any kind of momentum against the division’s basement club.
From first whistle to last the Cornish All Blacks looked the hungrier side, and did themselves proud with the sheer passion of their performance.
The very least they deserved from this game was a bonus point, and that was cruelly snatched from them with the last play of the game.
The visitors took the lead with a penalty from full back Jon Fabian in the sixteenth minute, and were unlucky not to get the first try of the game minutes later.
Steve Perry’s cross field kick found the unmarked Matt Jess in plenty of space, but as he stretched to catch the ball he knocked on.
But it was All Blacks enjoying a territorial advantage, and taking the game to the Green and Whites.
They finally doubled their lead with a second Fabian penalty just before the break, only to see all their hard work undone in first half injury time.
A routine catch and drive from a lineout inside the visitors’ 22 saw Joe Duffey get the touch down as the pack drove over, with David Jackson making it 7-6 at the break with conversion.
A third penalty from Fabian just after the restart gave All Blacks a two point lead but Nottingham’s first spell of concerted pressure finally brought a second for Duffey to make it 12-9.
Fabian should have levelled the scores when All Blacks won a penalty close to the posts just after the hour, but put it wide.
The crowd finally had something to shout about when Jackson set off on a jinking run eight minutes from time. Although he was brought down the Nottingham pack supported strongly and replacements Ben Thompson and Lee Morley combined well with the big second row crashing over under the posts.
Jackson’s conversion made it 19-9 but again the Green and Whites could not build on their score.
A fourth penalty from Fabian brought All Blacks to within seven points, meaning a bonus point was theirs, but they knew a converted try would give them two points rather than one.
To their credit they went for it - and few could have argued that they did not deserve it.
But a mix up down the right saw Andy Savage intercept and Matt Smith had a clear run in to get a fourth try for Nottingham, and with it a bonus point that moved them level on points with Exeter Chiefs.
Jackson’s conversion was the final kick of what had been a disappointing game.
But it was, nevertheless, a historic, landmark occasion for Nottingham as they took their season’s points tally past the hundred mark for the first time since league rugby was introduced.
Nottingham: Jackson; Savage, Molenaar (Nirmalendran), Smith, Dodge; Taylor (Thompson), Pilgrim (Usasz); Hopkins (Parr), Duffey (Loney), Hall, Rouse, Raven (Morley), Hammond (capt), Sherriff, Stannard.
Tries: Duffey (2), Morley, Smith. Convs: Jackson (3).
Attendance: 1449.
Chino Latino Man of the Match: Joe Duffey.
Exeter Chiefs 16 Nottingham 8
Saturday 15th March 2008
Watching the players warming up for this cup semi final it was clear that those with good swimming skills would prosper. Continual rain left large areas of standing water on the stand side, which inevitably dictated how this game would be played.
But under the circumstances both side deserve full marks for putting on a full blooded battle that was compelling to watch.
In the end though it was disappointment for Nottingham.
They had the better of the first half, defended heroically for most of the third quarter, and fought bravely to come back from the disappointment of conceding ten points in the space of three minutes.
The Exeter defence though was just too good, and although the, by now, Green and Whites camped in the home 22 as the game moved into injury time they could not find a way through.
After a couple of half chances it was Nottingham who took the lead as they took the game to the home side in the first period.
It came in the 21st minute as the pack recovered well from initially being pushed back at a lineout midway inside the Chiefs 22. They drove strongly and forced their way over the line with Nic Rouse touching down.
But Chiefs always looked dangerous, and eventually got their first points on board with a penalty from full back Gary Kingdom.
Nottingham hit straight back though to force a penalty for David Jackson to make it 8-3 with half time approaching.
A late attack from Chiefs though narrowed the gap to three points as the Nottingham defence was penalised, and Lee Morley sin binned.
Tony Yapp, on as a blood replacement, slotted over the penalty to make it 8-6 at the break.
Both sides changed shirts during the interval and the Green and Whites coped admirably with being shorthanded, and managed a couple of probing attacks during that time.
But Chiefs gradually got on top and spent a long spell in the Nottingham 22 before finally forcing a penalty for Kingdom to give them the lead for the first time in the game.
There was an element of farce about what proved to be the winning score though, and perhaps inevitably the conditions played a big part.
A loose ball on the Nottingham left, just outside their 22, would not normally have caused too many problems.
But as two defenders went to clear neither could keep their feet. The ball bounced forward and a chasing Chiefs player hacked it forward and over the Nottingham line.
Winger Jason Luff got their a split second before the last Nottingham defender to touch down. Kingdom did well to land the conversion to make it 16-8.
It was a cruel blow to Nottingham, who had defended so well. But it was a score that had been coming for a while.
The only surprise was that it proved to be the last score.
It was Nottingham who finished the game on top, keeping play in the Chiefs half and spending the last five minutes or so camped close to the line.
But chances had been few and far between throughout this game, and breaking down the home defence proved impossible in that closing period.
Eventually an infringement gave Chiefs the chance to clear to touch and the final whistle confirmed their place in the final.
It was heartbreaking for Nottingham, but ultimately Chiefs had that little bit extra and deserved their win.
But Nottingham made them work hard for that win, and earnt the respect of the home crowd.
They can hold their heads high and still have the challenge of finishing above Chiefs in the Division One table.
Nottingham: Jackson; Savage, Molenaar, Smith, Dodge; Thompson, Usasz; Parr (Hopkins), Duffey (Loney), Hall, Rouse (Raven), Morley, Hammond (capt), Sherriff, Montagu (Stannard).
Try: Rouse. Pen: Jackson.
Newbury Blues 19 Nottingham 39
Saturday 8th March 2008
Nottingham’s record at Monks Lane hardly inspired confidence, but their performance certainly did.
Two league wins there in twelve years is not an enviable record, but the third came about in clinical fashion as Nottingham soaked up everything Newbury threw at them in the first half and countered with ruthless efficiency.
They conceded territory and possession, but a missed penalty and an ignored overlap were the nearest the home side came to a score in that period.
Newbury’s kicking game played straight into Nottingham’s hands, and David Jackson’s in particular.
His breakouts from his own half, and more often than not from inside his own 22, caused havoc in the home defence as Nottingham secured a four try bonus point by the interval.
Two tries for Matt Smith and another for Alex Dodge were the reward for some slick handling and incisive running.
With the pack also working tirelessly they, too, got their reward as Sam Raven touched down on the half hour.
The second half saw Nottingham props showing their pace.
First it was Nigel Hall who supported a break from Andy Savage to take a fine offload and dive over in the corner.
Then it was replacement Ryan Hopkins who raced through for a try any back would have been pleased with.
In between those tries Newbury got their first score of the game as impressive No 8 Tom Brown raced through the middle to touch down under the posts, giving Andrew Henderson a straightforward conversion.
The closing minutes saw them force two more as Henderson and Tom Payne both crossed.
Much as Newbury deserved those late scores this was a convincing win for Nottingham, and although not at their best it was a performance that showed the determined edge they have developed this season.
Nottingham: Jackson (Nirmalendran); Savage, Molenaar, Smith, Dodge (Hayter); Thompson, Pilgrim (Usasz); Parr (Hopkins), Duffey, Hall (Green), Raven (Rouse), Morley, Hammond (capt), Sherriff, Stannard.
Tries: Smith (2), Dodge, Raven, Hall, Hopkins. Convs: Jackson (3). Pen: Jackson.
Nottingham 24 Cornish Pirates 17
Sunday 2nd March 2008
So many people described this as one of the best games of the season.
A crowd of just over 1500 watched a compelling battle between two very good sides, both totally committed to winning.
With just six points separating the third and fourth placed clubs there was plenty at stake.
But in the end Nottingham’s resilience and character was just enough to secure the win, and complete the double over the Cornishmen.
It was Pirates who drew first blood though, when scrum half Ed Fairhurst managed to wriggle through three attempted tackles to touch down under the posts in the fifth minute, with Gareth Steenson adding the simple conversion.
When Nottingham countered to win a lineout on the visitors 22 they forced a penalty for David Jackson to make it 7-3.
His second ten minutes later brought the Green and Whites to within a point, and also gave them the confidence to dominate the second quarter.
That dominance brought a try for Ben Thompson as the Pirates defence strayed a fraxction too far forward, opening enough of a gap for Thompson to squeeze through and touch down.
Jacko’s conversion gave them a six point lead four minutes from the break, his injury time penalty making it 16-7.
Inevitably Pirates hit back strongly in the second half, but the Nottingham defence was at its best to keep them out.
A Steenson penalty on the hour cut the lead to six points, and the tension in the stand began to grow.
As Pirates were threatening a try Thompson earned himself a yellow card for a tackle on replacement Brian Tuohy but it was Nottingham who had the better of things while they were a man short.
They took the game to the visitors and finally got their reward with a fine try from Alex Dodge.
The forwards started it, putting together seventeen phases of play to draw in the Pirates defence over in the right hand corner.
When the ball was moved left it came to Dodge, who still had plenty to do but did particularly well to get over in the corner.
Jacko’s conversion drifted wide, but he put over a penalty in the dying minutes to open up a fourteen point gap at 24-10.
While many thought that was “job done” Pirates had other ideas.
Games between the two are always competitive, and usually close, and so it proved - albeit courtesy of a piece of pure farce from the match officials.
Only they can account for why Tuohy suddenly found himself in the clear following a complete mess in the left hand corner.
Knock ons, offsides and a forward pass all went unnoticed, but Tuohy ignored the fuss and raced through for a try under the posts, with Steenson converting to leave Pirates needing another converted try to force a draw.
Not that they didn’t deserve that score - they surely did. But even they would admit that the manner in which it came about was more than fortunate.
That set up an even more tense finale and Pirates threw everything into attack in search of that all important score.
But when they conceded a penalty just inside their own half it all looked over for them.
The decision to kick for goal surprised many, and gave the visitors one last chance.
The Nottingham defence held firm though, and the final whistle brought the curtain down on a spectacle that was as entertaining as it was full blooded.
Nottingham: Jackson; Savage, Molenaar, Smith, Dodge; Thompson, Usasz (Pilgrim); Parr (Hopkins), Loney (Duffey), Hall, Rouse (Raven), Morley, Hammond (capt), Sherriff, Montagu.
Tries: Thompson, Dodge. Conv: Jackson. Pens: Jackson (4).
Attendance: 1517.
Chino Latino Man of the Match: Dan Montagu.
Nottingham 71 Launceston 3
Saturday 23rd February 2008
This quarter final tie was effectively over as a contest well before half time.
Three tries within the opening twenty minutes set the tone for the evening, and they just continued to flow.
Launceston simply could not cope with the power of the Nottingham pack, or the pace of the backs - with Tim Molenaar causing them problems pretty much every time he got the ball.
It was Molenaar who opened the scoring in the fifth minute, with David Jackson slotting over a difficult conversion from wide out on the right.
Tim Usasz and Matt Smith crossed, also out on the right, and Jacko showed that first kick was no fluke as he converted both.
Just before the break Nigel Hall touched down from yet another irresistible drive, with Molenaar getting his second with the last play of the first half.
With Jacko converting both the Green and Whites led 35-0 at the break.
Molenaar completed a well deserved hat trick within minutes of the restart, Jacko’s conversion taking the score into the forties.
Launceston had not threatened anything in that first period, but did themselves no favours when replacement Tim Collier, a new signing, was shown a red card for a reckless challenge on Usasz.
Three tries in five minutes underlined that point, with Luke Sherriff, replacement Rohaan Nirmalendran, and Ben Thompson all crossing.
On the hour Launceston got points on the board with a drop goal from full back Jon Fabian, but Nottingham’s next attack saw Sherriff grab his second of the night.
And it was Sherriff who got the final try five minutes from time, Jacko completing the scoring with another well struck conversion.
A good crowd of over 800 turned out for Meadow Lane’s first ever Saturday evening fixture, and particular thanks to the group of Notts County supporters who took up the special offer and came down to shout the lads on.
But whilst we celebrate this quarter final victory, we should not get too carried away - the Launceston side was weakened by injury and unavailability.
They will be back at Meadow Lane on 23rd March for a Division One game and will be fighting for survival.
Nottingham: Jackson; Savage (Nirmalendran), Molenaar, Smith, Dodge; Thompson (Taylor), Usasz (Pilgrim); Parr, Loney (Duffey), Hopkins (Hall), Rouse, Morley (Raven), Hammond (capt)(Stannard), Sherriff, Montagu.
Tries: Molenaar (3), Sherriff (3), Usasz, Smith, Hall, Nirmalendran, Thompson. Convs: Jackson (8).
Attendance: 865
Pertemps Bees 10 Nottingham 12
Saturday 16th February 2008
Losing to the last kick of the game is particularly galling, all the more you so when you have defended as well as Pertemps Bees did in this game.
Director of Rugby Glenn Delaney was quick to praise the home side's defence as “the best we have played against this season.”
With Nottingham enjoying an almost complete monopoly of the second half possession it seemed they must win, and with a bit to spare.
But it never happened. And the main reason it never happened was that Bees defence.
Nottingham had the edge in the first half, yet trailed 7-5 at the break.
Joe Duffey opened the scoring in the fourteenth minute, but chances were few and far between.
A fourteen point turnaround summed that first half up as Josh Kay stretched for an interception that would have seen him clear but the ball was just that little bit too far in front of him and went forward.
From the resulting scrum Bees swept up field to create an overlap down the middle for Mitch Culpin to dive over under the posts, with Jon Higgins adding the simple conversion.
Arguably the best chance of the game came in the opening minutes of the second half as Kay set off on a blistering run from midway inside his own half, with a particularly good tackle from Bees full back Reece Spee forcing him into the corner flag as he went for the line.
That was the nearest Nottingham came to breaking the deadlock though as they worked through the phases only to be continually frustrated by the home side.
Apart from a couple of ignored overlaps they were simply not allowed more than the occasional half chance.
In the late stages Bees played sensible rugby when they had the chance, keeping the ball among their forwards and running the clock down.
It looked to have paid off when they forced a penalty in the third minute of injury time for Higgins to make it 10-5.
But one last desperate effort from Nottingham saw them camp on the home line where eventually Craig Hammond managed to force his way over for a real captain’s try.
At 10 points apiece and the last kick of the game to come there was no real pressure on Jacko….was there?
He slotted it over and the final whistle confirmed Nottingham’s win. Not the most convincing of wins, but nonetheless a credit to their discipline and mental strength.
And with Exeter losing the gap between second and third is now down to just four points.
Nottingham: Nirmalendran; Kay, Smith, Dodge (Hayter), Jackson; Thompson, Usasz (Pilgrim); Parr, Loney (Duffey), Hopkins (Hall), Raven (Stannard), Rouse (Morley), Hammond (capt), Sherriff, Montagu.
Tries: Duffey, Hammond. Conv: Jackson.
Sedgley Park 23 Nottingham 43
Saturday 9th February 2008
This was real Jekyll and Hyde stuff.
Nottingham’s first half performance was a worrying throwback to the days when games against anyone in the bottom half of the table were a cause for concern.
Fortunately Sedgley Park could not take full advantage and turned round at the break with just a four point lead to show for their efforts.
Winger Chris Briers raced clear down the right three times to bag a hat trick, thanks mainly to a combination of missed tackles and a level of performance way short of the norm from the visitors.
Sandwiched between those scores though was a typical Joe Duffey try as he marked his 100th league game for the club by barging his way over within minutes of Briers’ second.
A rare forward drive from Nottingham caused problems for the home defence and a penalty try, converted by David Jackson, left just a single point separating the two sides.
A penalty from Philip Jones increased the Park lead to four points before a break out of defence from Tim Molenaar set up the position from which Jackson squeezed over to give his side what proved to a shortlived lead.
Briers completed his hat trick just before the break to leave Nottingham trailing 21-17.
The second half though was a very different story.
From the restart it was pretty much one way traffic as Nottingham upped the pace and intensity, and put in a performance much more in keeping with what we all know they are capable of.
Duffey’s second put them back in front before a good move saw Matt Smith’s pace take him to within metres of the home line where the supporting Craig Hammond was there to finish it off, with Jacko adding the conversion.
More pressure from Nottingham brought a try for Alex Dodge before a couple of moments of class from Jacko.
Having converted Dodge’s try, he set off on a run from the home ten metre line with a superb change of pace and subtle change of direction, and looked to be in for a try in the left hand corner.
But one of the best tackles of the day forced him to catch the touch flag as he dived over.
He had the last laugh though as he beat the Park defence again to send replacement Josh Kay over, and then duly added the extras.
A late surge from Park brought them a deserved consolation as skipper Jimmy Ponton crashed over in injury time.
Nottingham: Nirmalendran (Hayter); Jackson, Smith (Kay), Molenaar, Dodge; Thompson, Usasz (Pilgrim); Parr (Fowkes), Duffey, (Loney), Hopkins, Raven (Stannard), Morley (Rouse), Hammond (capt), Sherriff, Montagu.
Tries: Duffey (2) Jackson, Hammond, Dodge, Kay, Penalty Try. Convs: Jackson (4).
Nottingham 18 London Welsh 10
Sunday 3rd February 2008
After that six try romp against the Exiles the previous week it was a different story when attention turned to the EDF Energy National Trophy.
A stronger looking London Welsh side made it a closer game, but Nottingham edged through to the quarter finals.
With just five minutes gone it was Welsh in front as the pack drove over from a lineout, No 8 Hywel Jenkins getting the touch down and outside half Matt Jones converting.
The Green and Whites hit back strongly and forced several penalties, with Ben Thompson kicking for the corners. But Welsh did well to hold the Nottingham drive, frustrating the home side and forcing a rethink.
Nottingham survived a scary moment on their own line as the Exiles pressed, but a turnover gave them the chance to counter attack and from that they eventually got back into the game.
It started with another lineout, but as the ball was this time moved out Alex Dodge beat the defence and Tim Usasz put in a clever, angled kick into the in goal area where Sam Raven got there first with David Jackson levelling the score.
Another lineout gave Nottingham the position from which they took the lead just before the break.
Although they were held up, they forced a five metre scrum, from which Dan Montagu drove over to give his side a 12-7 half time lead.
Nottingham had much more of the second half but found the Welsh defence in beligerent mood.
A couple of breakaways from Tim Molenaar had the crowd roaring, but the threat of a Welsh counter attack was always there.
A Jackson penalty increased the lead to eight points, but that was cancelled out ten minutes later by a superb effort from Jones from a metre or two inside the home half.
Three minutes later and a second Jackson penalty secured the win, but Welsh came desperately close to a second try in the dying minutes.
It was tense and consequently a much scrappier game then the previous week’s league encounter, but the Green and Whites go into the hat for the quarter final draw mainly as a result of their discipline and mental strength.
As many commented afterwards, it was a game they would almost certainly have lost in any of the previous ten years or more.
That fact alone was cause for satisfaction.
Nottingham: Nirmalendran (Kay); Jackson, Smith (Hayter), Molenaar, Dodge; Thompson, Usasz (Pilgrim); Parr (Hopkins), Duffey (Loney), Hall (Fowkes), Morley, Raven (Stannard), Hammond (capt), Sherriff, Montagu.
Tries: Raven, Montagu. Conv: Jackson. Pens: Jackson (2).
Attendance: 910.
Man of the Match: Tim Molenaar.
Nottingham 34 London Welsh 6
Sunday 27th January 2008
After the disappointment of seeing that unbeaten run come to an end at Doncaster a week earlier Nottingham responded the way all good teams do - by bouncing straight back.
Six unanswered tries brought the Green and Whites their first ever double over London Welsh, and set up next weekend’s re-match in the EDF Energy National Trophy.
The Exiles started well, their strong, physical pack making early inroads, but the Nottingham defence held them up and turned over possession to hit back.
David Jackson was unfortunate not to open the scoring when he was surprisingly adjudged to have knocked on as he dived onto a loose ball in the in-goal area.
Minutes later a good chance went to waste when a Ben Thompson penalty brought a close range lineout, but the throw went over the whole line and Welsh cleared to touch.
It was 23 minutes in before Nottingham broke the deadlock, their mounting pressure eventually bringing another lineout from which Dan Montagu won the ball to set up the drive.
Although Welsh managed to deflect the drive infield, the inevitable try came with Nigel Hall getting the touch down and Jackson tagging on the conversion.
The Exiles got back into the game though, working their way through the phases to force a penalty for Tom Marks to make it 7-3.
But on the stroke of half time the Green and Whites edged further in front, having wasted another chance at another close range lineout, as Alex Loney crashed over in the right hand corner to give his side a 12-3 lead at the break.
With Andy Savage having limped off the field minutes before that score Josh Kay joined the action, making an impact in the early minutes of the second half as he outpaced the Welsh defence down the right to get try number three. Although, to be fair, he did appear to put a foot on the touchline in the process!!
Again Welsh hit back though, their backs creating a chance that brought a penalty for replacement Mitchell Burton to make it 17-6.
Luke Sherriff then maintained his astonishing scoring record with the try that secured the bonus point, before Alex Dodge crossed with four minutes of normal time remaining.
But it was Kay who finished off the afternoon and brought the crowd to its feet as he supported an interception from Thompson and wrong footed the last defender to race clear and dive over close enough to the posts for Jackson to add the conversion with the last kick of the game.
So, first blood to the Green and Whites, but next week is another day and another game.
Craig Hammond was presented with a bottle of champagne to mark the 100th occasion he has captained the club in a league game - the first player in the club's history to achieve this.
Nottingham: Nirmalendran; Savage (Kay), Smith, Dodge, Jackson; Thompson, Usasz (Pilgrim); Parr (Hopkins), Loney (Duffey), Hall (Fowkes), Morley, Raven (Stannard), Hammond (capt), Sherriff, Montagu.
Tries: Kay (2), Hall, Loney Sherriff, Dodge. Convs: Jackson (2).
Attendance: 1,435.
Chino Latino Man of the Match: Luke Sherriff.
Doncaster 22 Nottingham 10
Saturday 19th January 2008
In a game between the third and fourth placed clubs it was perhaps not surprising that defences were such a dominant factor.
And ultimately it was the quality of the Doncaster defence that proved decisive.
The opening ten minutes gave Nottingham a clear indication as to what they were up against as they totally dominated, yet could not force a way through.
For once the driving maul that has been their trademark, and has produced so many tries this season, could not make much of an impact.
The one clear cut chance in that opening spell created an overlap down the right but as Matt Smith stretched to gather a long pass he knocked on and Doncaster cleared from the resulting scrum.
Within minutes they were in front as Nottingham were penalised for not rolling away and Mark Woodrow slotted over a long range effort to make it 3-nil.
He had another chance minutes later, a few metres further out, but that proved to be his only miss of the day as the ball sailed just wide.
Knights then found themselves a man short when second row David Griffiths was sin binned for an illegal challenge at a lineout, but Nottingham struggled to take advantage.
Having spent much of that ten minute period in their own half it was their turn to show their defensive capabilities before snatching the lead seconds before Griffiths returned to the action.
Some neat interplay between Smith, Greig Tonks and Alex Dodge, it was Smith who got clear and raced through for the try, with Tonks putting Nottingham 7-3 up with the conversion.
He and Woodrow exchanged penalties just before the break, but the home side were again reduced in numbers as prop Ngalu Ta’u was binned for handling in a ruck.
And so the sides turned round at the end of a close first half with Nottingham 10-6 ahead, having just about shaded it.
The second half had barely got under way before Woodrow put over his third penalty of the day to reduce the gap to a single point, and Nottingham again had to show their defensive strength.
They did so effectively, even when it was their turn to play out a ten minute period shorthanded following a yellow card for Nigel Hall.
But just before Hall’s return Doncaster took the lead as Brad Hunt cut through to touch down close to the posts, with Woodrow converting to make it 16-10.
A late surge from Nottingham looked like bringing a try as they forced a close range lineout, but again the home defence kept them out.
In order to overtake Nottingham in the Division One table Knights needed to deny them a bonus point, and two late penalties from Woodrow saw them edge into third place with a twelve point winning margin.
It was difficult to argue they didn't deserve it. After a close first half Knights stepped their game up after the break and Nottingham didn't.
Nottingham: Tonks; Savage (Jackson), Smith, Molenaar, Dodge; Thompson (Nirmalendran), Usasz (Pilgrim); Parr (Hopkins), Loney (Duffey), Hall, Rouse (Raven [Stannard]), Morley, Hammond (capt), Sherriff, Montagu.
Try: Smith. Conv: Tonks. Pen: Tonks.
Nottingham 55 Newbury 24
Sunday 13th January 2008
A comprehensive win in the end to take the Green and Whites through to round 5 of the EDF Energy National Trophy, but for the first half hour it looked far from clear cut.
Newbury are a good side and can never be taken lightly. Their forwards in particular caused plenty of problems in the early stages.
Rumour has it the Green Army may change their “guess the score” competition to “guess how long it takes for Luke Sherriff to score” - such is the fit again openside’s strike rate.
He touched down in the fifteenth minute, but for the next fifteen Newbury had the edge and put together some good stuff.
A penalty from Chris Ashwin set them on their way before winger Jonathan Hylton cut through down the right, with Ashwin converting to give them a 10-5 lead on the half hour.
Nottingham heeded the wake up call, stepped up several gears, and stormed into a decent half time lead.
It was Sherriff again who led the way, touching down on 35 minutes to level the scores as the pack began to get on top.
Their dominance brought tries for Nic Rouse and Alex Loney in quick succession, with Greig Tonks adding a conversion to make it 22-10 at the break.
In the second half it was the backs turn to show their capabilities, Andy Savage racing through within minutes of the restart to make it 27-10.
Matt Smith did the same down the left ten minutes later, and within a minute of that score replacement Sam Raven broke away to touch down alongside the posts. David Jackson, who had come on as a replacement for Tim Molenaar, took over the kicking duties to slot over the conversion.
The visitors showed great character, and counter attacked effectively to send Sebastian Perkins in with Tim Walsh adding the extras, but that was cancelled out almost immediately as Josh Kay brought the crowd to its feet with his pace taking him through and Jackson again converting.
Back came Newbury again though with a Tim Walsh try and conversion, but the last play saw Jackson complete the scoring, converting his own try to make it 55-24.
Our Matchday Magazine’s “BanterAt The Bay” caught up with Tim Molenaar after the game.
Did you enjoy the game today?
“Although it was a big score line it was pretty tough going for a while out there! It took us a little while to get used to there out to in defence but as soon as we had worked it out we started carving them up.”
Did Newbury do anything you didn’t expect?
“No, we had done our homework and knew they had a good set of forwards but our boys bullied them in the first half and that gave us the platform for the 2nd half. They did bring a few more supporters than we were expecting though!”
On the subject of support that was a good crowd today?
“The crowd was brilliant, we weren’t expecting that many for a cup game but they really got behind the boys and it always makes such a big difference.
“We have been on fire recently at home and the fans must be enjoying what they are seeing at Meadow Lane.
“Hopefully we will see a few familiar faces up at Doncaster next weekend for what is a massive game.”
Nottingham: Tonks (Nirmalendran); Savage, Smith (Kay), Molenaar (Jackson), Dodge; Thompson, Pilgrim; Parr (Hopkins), Loney (Duffey), Hall, Morley, Rouse (Stannard), Hammond (capt), Sherriff, Montagu (Raven).
Tries: Sherriff (2), Rouse, Loney, Savage, Smith, Raven, Kay, Jackson. Convs: Jackson (3), Tonks (2).
Attendance: 1,033.
Man of the Match: Alex Loney.
Nottingham 31 Plymouth Albion 9
Sunday 6th January 2008
After the disappointment of losing by a point at Brickfields earlier in the season the Green and Whites had a point to prove - and they did so emphatically.
It may be argued that they went off the boil for a long spell in the second half, but there was so much to admire in their first half performance that such an argument becomes irrelevant.
Nottingham opened the scoring in the sixth minute with a move that built up through 18 phases to bring a penalty that Ben Thompson put into touch.
The Albion pack did well to hold up the initial drive from the resulting lineout but as the ball was moved wide Thompson sent Alex dodge through to open the scoring, with Greig Tonks adding the conversion.
After Ross Laidlaw had made it 7-3 with the first of three penalties the Nottingham pack worked their way over the line again with Luke Sherriff maintaining his outstanding try scoring record with the touch down.
Thompson then broke through just before the half hour, following good interplay between Dodge and Tim Usasz, with Tonks again on target with the conversion to make it 19-3.
Laidlaw’s second penalty just before the break made it 19-6 at the end of an entertaining first half.
Nottingham started the second half as they did the first, with a flowing attack that had Albion struggling and the inevitable try secured a bonus point as Lee Morley stretched the get the touch down with Tonks converting to make it 26-6.
Any thoughts that it was “game over” were quickly dispelled as Albion counter attacked and replacement Ed Lewsey cut through for a try.
That score was immediately wiped though out as a touch judge spotted a piece of foul play that saw prop Tim Mathias sent to the sin bin.
But that attack gave the visitors a lift and they enjoyed a lengthy territorial advantage.
A third Laidlaw penalty made it 26-9 but the Nottingham defence was in mean mood and further try scoring opportunities were all but non existent.
As Albion attacks became increasingly desperate a mistake allowed Sherriff a free run in to get his sixteenth try in fifteen games and complete the scoring.
Nottingham: Tonks; Savage (Jackson), Smith, Molenaar, Dodge; Thompson (Nirmalendran), Usasz (Pilgrim); Parr (Hopkins), Duffey (Loney), Hall, Morley (Stannard), Rouse, Hammond (capt), Sherriff, Montagu (Raven).
Tries: Sherriff (2), Dodge, Thompson, Morley. Convs: Tonks (3).
Attendance: 1,187.
Chino Latino Man of the Match: Ben Thompson.
Bedford Blues 26 Nottingham 27
Saturday 29th December 2007
Another bonus point win brought 2007 to an end on a high note.
Apart from a first ever double over Bedford, it also made December a maximum points month.
But it was a tense and dramatic affair, and it took an injury time pushover to secure a victory that for most of the second half had looked unlikely.
Indeed, had Blues taken just one of the string of chances they wasted in that period it would have been too much of a mountain to climb.
Talking of mountains, the Goldington Road slope played its part as ever.
Playing down that slope in the first half Nottingham ran in four tries to secure the bonus point, but were disappointed to concede a couple of late scores.
Matt Smith got the first in only the fourth minute after good work from Dan Montagu.
But Blues hit back to snatch the lead as scrum half Karl Dickson made a strong break before sending in James Pritchard, who also added the conversion to make it 7-5.
Any Nottingham supporter running a poll of top ten tries of the season would surely include Andy Savage’s reply - probably in the top five.
From a turnover deep in the Nottingham half Lee Morley and Nic Rouse took it forward and set up a ruck. Tim Usasz then fed the ball out and it went through the hands of Ben Thompson, Matt Smith and David Jackson, with Jacko putting in an excellent offload as he was tackled and then Smith putting in a quick pass to send Alex Dodge over the halfway line.
Usasz supported well and linked with Craig Hammond who sent the ball out to Savage just outside the 22, and the young winger raced in for the try.
From the restart quick reactions allowed Usasz to snatch a loose ball and dive over close to the posts, with Thompson converting to make it 17-7.
A moment of indiscipline though gave Pritchard a penalty to cut the lead to seven points before more good work from Smith and Jackson sent Dodge over for a well taken bonus point try.
But in first half injury time Tom Youngs broke out of defence and took play up to the Nottingham 22, and with players in support there was plenty of room for Liam Roberts to score, with Pritchard converting to make it 22-17 at the break.
A five point lead did not look anything like enough to defend playing up the slope in the second half, and the home side quickly proved the point with three penalties from Pritchard in the opening ten minutes to regain the lead.
At 26-22 Bedford looked in complete control, with Nottingham struggling to get out of their own half.
They created at least four clear cut chances but had their supporters in despair as overlaps were ignored and wrong options were taken.
A couple of half chances also went begging, and ultimately they paid dearly for their wastefulness.
Josh Kay, on as a replacement, twice threatened down the right, and with only four points separating the sides the crowd sensed the danger.
A penalty around halfway brought the chance as Thompson kicked for touch. The pack drove from the resulting lineout and made ground before the Bedford defence conceded another penalty.
This brought five metre lineout and the inevitable happened.
Although Blues did well to hold the initial drive Nottingham committed the men to force the try, with replacement Luke Sherriff getting the match winning touch down.
Nottingham: Jackson (Nirmalendran); Savage, Smith, Molenaar, Dodge (Kay); Thompson, Usasz (Pilgrim); Parr (Hopkins), Duffey (Loney), Hall, Rouse, Morley, Raven, Hammond (capt), Montagu (Sherriff).
Tries: Smith, Savage, Usasz, Dodge, Sherriff. Conv: Thompson.
Nottingham 51 Rotherham Titans 7
Sunday 23rd December 2007
Another win and another bonus point….third in the table.
In a game that many suspected could be a potential banana skin Nottingham never looked remotely like slipping up on the weekend before Christmas.
One momentary lapse of concentration that allowed the visitors pack a pushover was all the scrooge like defence gave away all afternoon.
That apart it was a totally dominant performance from the Green and Whites.
They took the lead in only the sixth minute when Matt Smith made a break before passing out to the wing where David Jackson weaved his way through the defence to score close enough to the posts to give Ben Thompson a straightforward conversion for a 7-nil lead.
A break out of defence from former Nottingham scrum half Neil Chivers set up the position for the solitary Titans reply, the pack driving debutant Jason Forster over with Jamie Lennard levelling the scores with the conversion.
But the Nottingham pack, dominant throughout, replied quickly, driving Sam Raven to regain the lead, and then stretching that lead with a similar move, this time Lee Morley getting the touch down to make it 17-7 at the break.
In the second half Nottingham ran in five tries without reply, the backs this time enjoying one of their better afternoons of the season.
A quickly taken penalty from Thompson opened up the defence for Jackson to get his second of the afternoon, and with it the bonus point.
Tim Usasz then outran the defence close to the line for try number five.
Thompson converted both tries, and then slotted over a penalty to put Nottingham in a commanding position at 34-7.
Good interplay from Dan Montagu, Tim Molenaar and Matt Smith sent replacement Rohaan Nirmalendran in, with Thompson again on target to make it 41-7.
Josh Kay, also on as a replacement , rounded off the scoring with two tries, the first within seconds of joining the action, before squeezing over in the corner after good work from Smith and Nirmalendran.
Rotherham may have been short of the standard we have come to expect from them, but this should not take anything away from a forceful effort from the Green and Whites.
Their performance capped what is already shaping up to be Nottingham’s best campaign since league rugby was introduced back in 1987.
It certainly sent the home contingent of one Meadow Lane’s biggest crowds of the season off to enjoy their Christmas festivities in good cheer.
Nottingham: Jackson (Nirmalendran); Savage (Kay), Smith, Molenaar, Dodge; Thompson, Usasz (Pilgrim); Parr (Hopkins), Duffey (Loney), Hall (Fowkes), Morley, Rouse (Sandhu), Raven, Hammond (capt), Montagu.
Tries: Jackson (2), Kay (2), Raven, Morley, Usasz, Nirmalendran. Convs: Thompson (4). Pen: Thompson.
Attendance: 1,460.
Chino Latino Man of the Match: Tim Molenaar.
Moseley 27 Nottingham 36
Saturday 15th December 2007
On the one hand it could certainly be argued that Nottingham made hard work of this win.
But given Moseley’s record in games between the two clubs none among the travelling faithful will have had too many complaints.
Another bonus point victory keeps Nottingham in the top four, and it was a win that owed much to attitude and commitment.
Moseley’s Dan Norton could be forgiven for thinking that Christmas had come early when Nottingham’s first serious attack presented him with a gift wrapped opportunity to open the scoring.
Tim Molenaar carved his way through the middle only to offload straight into the hands of the disbelieving winger, who had a clear run in under the posts. Greg MacDonald added the straightforward conversion.
Nottingham’s reply was two swift back movements that both ended with Andy Savage crossing, sandwiched either side of a MacDonald penalty to make it 10 points apiece.
But the defensive generosity continued and again it was Norton who took profited from a stray pass, sprinting clear for his second of the day and MacDonald again converting to give Mose a 17-10 lead.
It was shortlived though as Nottingham finished the first half well.
Ben Thompson surprised the home defence with a surging run, and timed his pass to Molenaar well for the centre to cross. With Greig Tonks putting over his first kick of the day the scores were level at 17 points each.
And it was Thompson who broke through in first half injury time to give Nottingham the lead for the first time, Tonks again on target to make it 22-17 at the break.
From the restart Craig Hammond looked certain to score as he chased a kick forward, but was held back by Moseley scrum half Jimmy Ireland, who was duly sin-binned.
There was certainly a case for a penalty try, but Nottingham made their one man advantage count with two emphatic breaks bringing a second try for Thompson, and Tonks getting his first for the club.
Those scores put them in a seemingly commanding position at 36-17, but within minutes of Moseley getting back to full strength it was Nottingham who found themselves shorthanded.
Two yellow cards saw them play most of the final quarter a man down as first Hammond and then replacement Chris Pilgrim were sent to the bin.
Moseley took advantage and it was former Nottingham hooker Ross McMillan who led the way.
His first act when coming on as a replacement was to throw the ball into a lineout. And it was he who was at the heart of the resulting drive to get the touch down fifteen minutes from the end.
This lifted the home side and they kept play in the Nottingham half for a long spell, and eventually McMillan got a carbon copy of his earlier try to reduce the deficit to nine points.
It also brought Moseley a deserved bonus point, but with MacDonald missing both conversions, and a last minute penalty, they were unable to force a second.
The Nottingham defence had to be at its best in those last few minutes as Moseley threw everything at them, but they held out for a welcome and deserved, if not necessarily comfortable win.
Nottingham: Tonks (Nirmalendran); Savage, Smith, Molenaar, Dodge (Jackson); Thompson, Usasz (Pilgrim); Parr (Hopkins), Duffey (Loney), Hall (Fowkes), Rouse, Morley, Raven, Hammond (capt), Montagu.
Tries: Savage (2), Thompson (2), Molenaar, Tonks. Convs: Tonks (3).
Nottingham 34 Coventry 6
Sunday 9th December 2007
Another bonus point win keeps Nottingham on level points with Cornish Pirates.
But after Sam Raven had opened the scoring with a pushover in the third minute the Green and Whites found the Coventry defence tough to break down, and it took until the last minute of the first half before the second try arrived.
In between those tries Ben Thompson and his opposite number Ben Russell exchanged penalties, but clear cut chances were few.
The nearest either side came was when David Jackson got to the line, but knocked the ball on as he was tackled diving over for what would have been a spectacular score.
As it was though Nottingham enjoyed an overwhelming advantage but struggled to make best use of it.
The lineout has been a particularly effective weapon for them this season, but even that proved troublesome against some determined Coventry defence.
It took a fine piece of individual skill to break the deadlock and it was Tim Usasz who provided it, spotting a gap and wrong footing the defence with a sidestep to run clear and dive over under the posts to get his first try for the club.
Thompson added the conversion to make it 15-3 at the break.
The first score of the second half was important, and it was the Green and Whites who forced it with another pushover, Nigel Hall getting his third touch down in as many games and Thompson again adding the extras.
But another Russell penalty kept the visitors within sight, and again their defence prevented Nottingham from pulling away.
It was not until a couple of minutes into the final quarter that replacement Joe Duffey’s storming run brought the bonus point try and effectively killed off any hopes Coventry may have had.
Inevitably though, the visitors threw everything into all out attack in a game effort to salvage some pride, but this time it was Nottingham’s turn for heroic defence.
They kept their line intact and then countered well for Raven to complete the scoring with his second of the game two minutes from the end of normal time.
But the closing stages saw Coventry back row man Henno Venter having to be stretchered from the field with an ankle injury.
Nottingham: Jackson (Nirmalendran); Savage, Smith, Molenaar, Dodge; Thompson, Usasz (Pilgrim); Parr (Hopkins), Duffey (Loney), Hall (Fowkes), Morley, Rouse (Stannard), Raven (Sandhu), Hammond (capt), Montagu.
Tries: Raven (2), Usasz, Hall, Duffey. Convs: Thompson (3). Pen: Thompson.
Attendance: 1,133.
Chino Latino Man of the Match: Tim Usasz.
Nottingham 48 Esher 15
Sunday 2nd December 2007
Nottingham’s strength up front proved too much for Esher, with eight tries the reward for a dominant performance.
The visitors fought back with two second half tries but were forced to defend for long periods of this game.
Nottingham wasted a couple of half chances before the pack drove Nigel Hall over to open the scoring in the 13th minute. Greig Tonks, kicking into a strong wind, added the conversion.
A typical twisting run from Tim Molenaar soon brought a second try, again converted by Tonks, before a counter attack from Esher earned them a penalty for David Hewitt to make it 14-3.
Craig Hammond led the Nottingham side for the 100th time, only the sixth player in the club’s history to pass that landmark, and celebrated with a try late in the first half to make it 19-3 at the break.
Two tries in the space of three minutes soon after the restart effectively put the game beyond the visitors.
First it was another strong drive from the pack which brought a try for Nic Rouse, with Tonks again on target with the conversion to make it 26-3.
And then a slick back movement created space out wide for David Jackson to sprint clear and touch down in the corner.
Quick thinking from Chris Pilgrim, on as a replacement at scrum half, brought him a try on the hour before that fight back from the visitors.
Bevon Armitage and Doug Flockhart both went over in the space of five minutes, with Hewitt converting the second, but Nottingham hit back with another powerful forward drive, this time Ryan Hopkins forcing his way over.
Ben Thompson took over the kicking duties to make it 43-15.
Matt Smith completed the scoring with try number eight, using his pace well to make the breakthrough and doing particularly well to touch down despite the attention of two defenders.
After two disappointing defeats it was important to get a win. To win so emphatically was the icing on the cake.
Nottingham: Jackson; Tonks (Savage), Smith, Molenaar, Dodge (Nirmalendran); Thompson, Usasz (Pilgrim); Parr (Hopkins), Duffey (Loney), Hall, Morley (Stannard), Rouse (Sandhu), Raven, Hammond (capt), Montagu.
Tries: Hall, Molenaar, Hammond, Rouse, Jackson, Pilgrim, Hopkins, Smith. Convs: Tonks (3), Thompson.
Attendance: 1,071.
Chino Latino Man of the Match: Chris Pilgrim.
Exeter Chiefs 20 Nottingham 15
Saturday 24th November 2007
For most of the first half all in the home camp could be forgiven for wondering how Nottingham had come so close to giving league leaders Northampton Saints a real fright a week earlier.
For much of the second half Nottingham showed exactly how.
With five minutes to go before the interval they trailed by twenty points to nil, and a win was unthinkable.
Five minutes from the end and a win was there for the taking.
Even allowing for the fact that the Exeter pack is arguably the biggest and strongest in the division, Nottingham played straight into their hands in that first period.
The competitive intensity that caused so many problems up front for Saints was sadly absent, and Chiefs were able to play most of the game in the Nottingham half.
An early penalty from Danny Gray set them on their way, with Nottingham restricted to the occasional counter attack.
One of those looked threatening, but when Matt Smith attempted to chip over the defence Mark Fatialofa grabbed the ball and raced clear down the left for the opening try.
Gray’s conversion made it 10-nil, and if there was any credit to Nottingham’s first half performance it was that they kept Chiefs out until the half hour, when a second penalty from Gray made it 13-nil.
But the pressure was relentless and a quickly taken penalty brought another try as Gray floated a superb cross field kick from right to left where Josh Rauniniu lept to claim the ball and touch down.
Gray’s conversion left Nottingham twenty points adrift.
An injury time counter attack though at least brought their first points, winning a penalty for Greig Tonks to make it 20-3 at the break.
The second half was a very different story.
The Nottingham pack kept play in the home half for long periods but found the Chiefs defence particularly difficult to break down.
But the longer the second half went on the stronger and more confident Nottingham appeared.
A superb diving interception from Tom Johnson kept them out as a break from Ben Thompson looked certain to produce a try.
They finally made the breakthrough on the hour with a catch and drove from a close range lineout that saw Nic Rouse get the try.
With the conversion missed there was plenty of work still to do, but Nottingham continued to press and were particularly unlucky when Rouse dived over a second time only to have the try disallowed.
They got their reward on eighty minutes though as the pack drove Nigel Hall over. Tonks kicked the conversion and suddenly the game was on a knife edge at 20-15.
Eight minutes of injury time saw Nottingham camped in the home 22 but some outstanding defence kept them out and earned victory for the home side.
But Nottingham will rue two missed opportunities in that period.
They have scored many tries this season from close lineouts, and when they had just such a chance the home pack knew the danger only too well.
They didn’t even bother to defend the throw, setting themselves to resist the drive.
But they didn’t actually need to defend the throw as it sailed over the whole line without a single player jumping for it!!
That was shockingly wasteful, but their last play saw them build up through the phases and it seemed a score must come.
As Ben Thompson attempted to break through the line though he got isolated and was then penalised for not releasing the ball.
Chiefs were able to clear and were relieved to hear the final whistle.
Nottingham: Nirmalendran (Jackson); Tonks, Smith (Savage), Molenaar, Dodge; Thompson, Usasz (Pilgrim); Parr (Hopkins), Duffey (Loney), Hall, Rouse, Morley, Raven (Stannard), Hammond (capt), Montagu. Tries: Rouse, Hall. Conv: Tonks. Pen: Tonks.
Nottingham 10 Northampton Saints 16
Sunday 18th Novembber 2007
Nottingham made the former Premiership boys fight every inch of the way to preserve their unbeaten record, and gave then a genuine scare.
This was close, and the final whistle was a relief to all in the Northampton camp.
The weather may have been something of a leveller, making handling a hazard, but up front it was the Green and Whites who dominated this game.
Pressure from the pack eventually forced a penalty as the Saints defence strayed offside and Greig Tonks kicked Nottingham in front in the ninth minute.
It was not until the 26th minute that Saints got their first points, a penalty from outside half Stephen Myler.
In that time the Nottingham pack stole three Northampton lineouts, and clearly had an edge in the scrum.
But having worked so hard to create a situation that should have seen them regain their lead they suddenly found themselves a score down.
The reversal of a penalty decision gave Saints possession and as they worked their way back up to the Nottingham half Myler put up a high kick and benefited from a fortunate bounce off one of his own team mates to gather the ball and dive over under the posts, adding the conversion to make it 10-3 on the half hour.
That was harsh, particularly as there appeared to be a player in front of Myler as he kicked.
But these things tend to even themselves out and maybe it was case of justice done as Nottingham were fortunate to get away with not conceding a try from a Myler crossfield kick which, rather questionably, eluded the chasing winger!
Myler completed a full house a couple of minutes before the break though, slotting over a drop goal to give Saints a 13-3 lead at half time.
The Green and Whites continued to take the game to the visitors in the second half, causing them all sorts of problems in the lineout in particular.
A double front row substitution briefly stemmed the flow, but midway through the second half Nottingham got the reward they deserved, and which they had threatened for so long.
Another strong lineout on the Pavis side led to a drive for the line, with replacement Alex Loney touching down. Tonks added the conversion to bring the Green and Whites to within three points and set up a thrilling final quarter.
Another Myler penalty doubled the lead a couple of minutes later as this end to end game continued to keep everyone on the edge of their seats.
There were half chances for both sides, but in the end Saints were happy to settle for the win as Carlos Spencer hoofed the ball into touch to signal the final whistle.
That meant that not only did Nottingham become the first side to earn a bonus point against Saints, the one try conceded was the best performance against them so far this season to become only the second side in Division One to deny them a bonus point.
Both are creditable achievements.
The two together is something to be proud of.
Nottingham: Nirmalendran; Tonks, Smith, Molenaar, Dodge; Thompson (Barlow [Savage]), Usasz (Pilgrim); Parr Hopkins), Duffey Loney), Hall, Morley, Rouse, Raven (Stannard), Hammond (capt), Montagu.
Try: Loney. Conv: Tonks. Pen: Tonks.
Attendance: 4,751.
Chino Latino Man of the Match: Nic Rouse.
Launceston 23 Nottingham 31
Saturday 10th Novembber 2007
Six in a row, and a definite feeling of “job done” but it could have been a different story.
Two tries in the closing ten minutes from Jon Fabian brought Launceston back into contention, but the final conversion attempt proved to be the last kick of a compelling game.
Had that last try been scored a couple of minutes earlier, and the conversion successful, it could have been a been a very tense affair.
As it was though Nottingham secured another five point win to move up to third in the table.
And for most of this game the result did not look under any serious threat.
The home pack eventually gave up trying to contest lineouts, content to defend the drive. But that didn’t work as the Nottingham forwards drove over four times from close range lineouts.
Alex Loney, Craig Hammond, Nigel Hall and Joe Duffey got the touch downs.
The one try scored in open play was again created by the pack as they drove into the home 22 before Tim Usasz moved the ball wide.
Good handling saw the ball quickly out to the wing where Alex Dodge dived over in the corner.
Greig Tonks had a good day generally, particularly with the boot, but his conversion of Dodge’s try from the left hand touchline was the kick of the day.
19-6 at the break quickly became 24-6, but then came the home fight back.
Matt Jess was one of the more impressive home backs and he quickly countered the cross for the All Blacks first try of the day, with Scott Ireland adding to his earlier brace of penalties with the conversion.
But the Nottingham pack still had the edge, particularly in the set pieces, and Duffey’s try, again converted by Tonks, re-established that 18 point lead.
But with six minutes of normal time remaining, Fabian chipped over the defence and gathered the rebound to dive over under the posts.
Astonishingly though Ireland chose the drop goal approach and will probably have had to buy a lot of beer as his misguided effort hit the bar, ultimately costing his side a losing bonus point!
A second from Fabian, four minutes into injury time, really got the home crowd going, as they sensed not only a bonus point but possibly even a win.
But Ireland’s conversion attempt, a much more difficult kick, sailed agonisingly wide and heralded the final whistle.
Nottingham: Nirmalendran; Tonks, Smith, Molenaar (Savage), Dodge; Thompson (Barlow), Usasz (Pilgrim); Hopkins (Parr), Loney (Duffey), Hall, Morley, Raven, Stannard (Sandhu), Hammond (capt), Montagu.
Tries: Loney, Dodge, Hammond, Hall, Duffey. Convs: Tonks (3)
Nottingham 31 Newbury 19
Sunday 4th Novembber 2007
A bright, if controversial, start saw Nottingham take an early lead with a try from Matt Smith.
Nic Rouse stole the ball around halfway and made ground before Ben Thompson took the play deep into the visitors 22. As Dan Montagu took it on his pass out to the right looked forward but Smith crossed for the opening try, with Greig Tonks converting for a 7-nil lead.
Within minutes another break down the right looked like bringing a second but the referee, possibly mindful that he may have got the earlier decision wrong, blew for a forward pass!
Some may have thought that was justice done, but there was something of an injustice as Newbury got back into the game.
Sebastian Perkins looked a good metre or two offside as he intercepted a pass from Ben Thompson and raced away to touch down. Tim Walsh was wide with his conversion attempt leaving the Green and Whites leading 7-5.
There is only one way to answer such a miscarriage though, and Nottingham quickly re established control with a fine break from Tim Molenaar, who sent Smith in for his second of the game midway through the first half.
Tonks was again on target with the conversion to make it 14-5.
When Nigel Hall crashed over from a catch and drive just after the half hour Nottingham seemed well on top as Tonks converted to make it 21-5.
But if anyone in the Nottingham camp thought it was ‘job done’ they were made to think again as the visitors gradually began to build through the phases, getting their reward with a pushover from a close range lineout, with hooker Paul Fincken touching down and Walsh tagging on the conversion having missed two good penalty chances earlier.
And so having looked comfortably in control the Green and Whites went in at the break with just a 9-point lead.
But the wake up call seemed to go unheeded as Newbury took control in the third quarter. Their pack had a much more physical edge in the second half and began to cause problems for Nottingham.
But the Nottingham defence kept them out until the 57th minute when that lead was cut to just two points as Newbury full back Jonathan Hylton cut through for a try, with Walsh making it 21-19 with the conversion.
It really was backs to the wall stuff as Newbury threw everything into attack, but again the Nottingham defence deserves full marks for keeping the line intact.
A penalty from Tonks eased the nerves a little by increasing the lead to five points, but it was still the visitors making most of the attacking.
It was tense stuff, but those nerves were finally eased by a fine piece of individual skill from Molenaar.
He twisted out of one tackle and sprinted clear down the right and dive over to secure a bonus point.
Tonks slotted over the conversion to complete the scoring.
Nottingham: Nirmalendran; Tonks, Smith, Molenaar, Dodge; Thompson (Barlow), Pilgrim; Hall, Duffey (Loney), Hopkins (Green), Morley, Rouse, Raven (Hopkins), Hammond (capt), Montagu.
Tries: Smith (2), Hall, Molenaar. Convs: Tonks (4). Pen: Tonks.
Chino Latino Man of the Match: Tim Molenaar.
Cornish Pirates 21 Nottingham 22
Sunday 28th October 2007
First of all a huge “thank you” to all the supporters who made the long trip down to Cornwall - it was good to see and hear so many of you.
After so many close games between these two sides in recent years there was an air of expectation among the travelling contingent, despite the injuries and unavailibilities that had left the Nottingham squad seriously depleted.
But the opening minutes looked like blowing that expectation out of the water as the big Pirates pack dominated the opening exchanges.
Having comfortably stolen Nottingham’s first lineout they battered away at the defence, and the first time they moved the ball wide full back Ollie Thomas cut inside to sprint clear and touch down alongside the posts.
Gareth Steenson’s straightforward conversion gave the home side a 7-nil lead after just five minutes.
Nottingham’s resilience however saw them back in the game within minutes. The pack worked their way up to the home 22 and when the ball was moved wide Greig Tonks and Rohaan Nirmalendran made ground before sending Alex Dodge in for a try in the left hand corner.
As Pirates continued to dominate the Nottingham defence had to be at its best to keep them out.
Steenson and Barlow exchanged penalties midway through the half, but it was Pirates enjoying the better of possession and territory, although they lacked ideas and struggled to make best use of their advantage.
Just as it seemed that Nottingham had made it through to half time without falling further behind, a long range effort from Steenson sailed between the posts to give the home side a 13-8 lead at the break.
The feeling among the crowd was that a five point lead was not enough, and within minutes of the restart those fears were realised as a catch and drive from a lineout deep in the Pirates 22 saw Nigel Hall touch down to level the scores, with Barlow’s conversion giving Nottingham the lead for the first time in the game.
It was shortlived though as the home pack again battered away at the defence. Although Nottingham did well to hold up the first few phases eventually the pressure proved too much and Chris Cracknell forced his way over for a try to make it 18-15.
Another penalty from Steenson made it 21-15, but still that home crowd looked anxious. And rightly so as the longer the second half wore on the more Nottingham dominated.
Pirates defended effectively, but could not keep out the final shove that saw Nottingham grab the points with the last play of the game.
Having had several drives held up it took thirteen men to drive over from a tap penalty under the home posts. Pirates again held the initial drive but could do nothing as the Nottingham pack regrouped and powered over the line, Sam Raven getting the touch down.
Tonks added the all important conversion to give Nottingham victory by a single point.
Pretty it certainly wasn’t, but this was a victory born of courage and sheer guts, adversity bringing out the character and spirit to hang in there when they were on the ropes and then force the scores when the opportunities arose.
Pirates may well kick themselves for not taking their first half chances, but Nottingham can take enormous credit from the manner in which they won this game.
It was their first away win against Pirates. They also became only the third side to win at Camborne since Pirates switched their first team games there at the start of last season - and one of those was Northampton!
Nottingham: Nirmalendran; Savage, Tonks, Molenaar (capt); Barlow (Thompson), Usasz (Pilgrim); Parr (Hopkins), Duffey, Hall, Morley, Rouse, Larsen (Loney), Raven, Montagu.
Tries: Dodge, Hall, Raven. Convs: Barlow, Tonks. Pen: Barlow.
Nottingham 22 Pertemps Bees 10
Friday 19th October 2007
Another scrappy game, but another win - one which lifted the Green and Whites up to fourth in the table.
There was no bonus point this time, but the real bonus from this win, and the one against Sedgley Park last weekend, was that both games would probably have been lost a couple of years ago.
All three tries came from the back row but it was Tom Barlow’s fifth minute penalty that opened the scoring.
Bees hit back soon after with a penalty from skipper John Higgins to levels the scores.
Neither side was really able to establish any consistent pattern, but when Nottingham did build up through the phases they looked dangerous, and so it proved when the pack drove Dan Montagu over for the first try on twenty six minutes. Barlow’s conversion made it 10-3, and that‘s how it stayed until the half time whistle.
Another pushover ten minutes into the second half saw Luke Sherriff make it thirteen tries in as many games, Barlow again adding the conversion, but again Bees made it difficult for the Green and Whites to make anything of their mounting territorial advantage.
A counter attack saw the visitors get back into the game as winger James Aston crossed, with replacement Joe Carlisle converting to bring his side to within a single score at 17-10 with fifteen minutes remaining.
It was not until a few minutes from the end that Nottingham finally made the game safe with another pushover, this time replacement David Wilks getting the touch down to make it 22-10.
Nottingham: Nirmalendran; Kay (Tonks), Smith, Dodge, Savage; Barlow (Thompson), Usasz (Pilgrim); Parr (Hopkins), Duffey (Wilcox), Hall, Raven (Stannard), Rouse, Hammond (capt), Sherriff (Wilks), Montagu.
Tries: Montagu, Sherriff, Wilks. Convs: Barlow (2). Pen: Barlow.
Attendance: 1046
Chino Latino Man of the Match: Nic Rouse
Nottingham 27 Sedgley Park 17
Sunday 14th October 2007
This was a long way from being a classic, but Nottingham ground out a bonus point win to move up to fifth in the table.
The main satisfaction was that winning scrappy dogfights like this is not something the Green and Whites have made a habit of in recent years.
After an opening ten minutes or so in which both sides kicked away a lot of possession Nottingham gradually took a grip on the game.
A Tom Barlow penalty gave them the lead in the fourteenth minute, which gave them the confidence to string together some good phases of play.
One of those produced the first try of the game for Matt Smith, only for Tigers to hit back with a controversial score.
Winger Chris Briers appeared to hit the flag before touching down in the right hand corner, but the referee awarded the try, with Phil Jones adding a difficult touchline conversion to bring his side back to within a point.
In first half injury time he put over a drop goal to give Tigers a 10-8 lead at the break.
There was certainly a feeling of injustice about that scoreline, Nottingham having had much the better of the territory.
But it was important they come out for the second half and get back on top early. And they did just that with two pushover tries in the space of five minutes.
Luke Sherriff’s twelfth in as many games put them back in front, Barlow’s conversion making it 15-10, before another good drive from the pack saw Matt Parr touch down to increase the lead to ten points.
Good work from replacement Ben Thompson set up the bonus point try for Tim Molenaar on 73 minutes.
Thompson held the ball up well and as Molenaar sprinted through the middle a good pass put him clear and he just held off a challenge to touch down under the posts, with Thompson adding the extras with a straightforward kick.
Park hit back strongly in the dying minutes, throwing everything into all out attack.
Jonny Roddam’s try alongside the posts four minutes from the end of normal time gave Jones an equally straightforward conversion to bring the deficit back down to ten points, but he then missed a difficult penalty in injury time that would have brought his side a deserved bonus point.
Nottingham: Nirmalendran; Kay, Smith, Molenaar, Savage; Barlow (Thompson), Usasz (Pilgrim); Parr (Hopkins), Duffey (Wilcox), Hall (Corbisiero), Raven (Stannard), Rouse, Hammond (capt), Sherriff (Wilks), Montagu.
Tries: Smith, Sherriff, Parr, Molenaar. Convs: Barlow, Thompson. Pen: Barlow.
Attendance: 1260
Chino Latino Man of the Match: Nic Rouse
London Welsh 20 Nottingham 30
Saturday 6th October 2007
Nottingham ground out a bonus point win with a battling performance at Old Deer Park on what was a particularly poignant occasion.
To their immense credit London Welsh officials ordered the observation of a minute’s silence before the game in honour of Nottingham stalwart Neil Hannah, who sadly passed away last week.
A tradition more usually reserved for representatives of the home club, this was a particularly generous and greatly appreciated gesture, one which showed the level of respect which Neil commanded within the game. Well done Welsh!
The Green and Whites again started slowly, allowing the Exiles a ten point lead inside eight minutes with tries from Hywell Jenkins and Allen Chilten.
Jenkins went over from a catch and drive at a close range lineout, while Chilten got on the end of a weaving break from Robert Jewell to double the lead.
Nottingham gradually got back into things though, and they pressured the Welsh defence into giving away a penalty for Tom Barlow to get first points on the board.
Matt Smith almost broken through on two occasion before Dan Montagu crossed in the corner, Barlow doing particularly well to level the scores with a touchline conversion.
The Green and Whites’ superiority up front saw them take the lead with a pushover try for Luke Sherriff, Barlow again on target with the conversion.
Welsh hit back well though and punished Nottingham’s error at the restart as they knocked the ball on. From the resulting scrum the Exiles moved the ball wide and Simon Etheredge sent winger Greg Evans in to leave Nottingham two points ahead at half time.
The start of the second half again saw the Exiles on top, and they camped in the Nottingham 22 only to waste several good opportunities. But after some excellent defensive work the Green and Whites then gifted the home side the softest of tries.
Having won the throw in to a lineout five metres from their own line Nottingham somehow missed the ball, and it fell straight to Nick Adams playing against his former club, who crossed unopposed.
With the conversion missed the lead was just three points, one that was quickly cancelled out by a second Barlow penalty.
Another impressive final quarter from Nottingham brought two tries to seal a bonus point win.
As the pack drew in the Welsh defence and debutant scrum half Tim Usasz spotted Rohaan Nirmalendran running in at pace, timing his pass well for the young full back to dive over in the corner to make it 25-20.
The Nottingham pack wrapped the game up by driving the best part of 35 metres and give the outstanding Sherriff his eleventh try in as many games.
Having deservedly secured one bonus point the Exiles really should have had a second with the last kick of the game. Tom Marks had missed all four conversions, but a change of kicker brought no improvement in fortune as replacement Gareth Morgan put a penalty wide from in front of the posts.
Nottingham: Nirmalendran; Kay, Smith, Molenaar, Savage; Barlow (Thompson), Usasz (Stenhouse); Parr (Hopkins), Duffey, Hall, Rouse, Morley (Raven), Hammond (capt), Sherriff (Wilks), Montagu (Stannard).
Tries: Sherriff (2), Montagu, Nirmalendran. Convs: Barlow (2). Pens: Barlow (2).
Nottingham 34 Doncaster Knights 40
Sunday 30th September 2007
The Meadow Lane faithful were treated to a nine try thriller, but despite outscoring their opponents by five tries to four Nottingham went down a third defeat of the season. And they can have no real complaints as Doncaster Knights stepped up several gears in the second half and were worthy winners.
Mark Woodrow, who had a spell on loan with the Green and Whites, kicked twenty points as Doncaster at times suggested they might run riot.
But the Nottingham defence deserves every credit. Despite conceding possession and territory they did well to hold Knights up and frustrate them.
And when they did hit on the counter attack they always looked capable of causing problems.
But it was the visitors who controlled the early stages and a couple of strong drives from their pack took them up to the Nottingham line where skipper Glenn Wilson stretched over the line to open the scoring, Woodrow adding the conversion for a 7-nil lead in the fifth minute.
“Woody” made it 10-nil with a penalty on ten minutes before the Green and Whites finally got into the Doncaster 22.
As they drove forward it seemed they must score but Doncaster prop Ngalu Tau prevented them from doing so, and was duly sin-binned. Tom Barlow kicked the penalty into touch for a close range lineout and the pack drove over the line for Craig Hammond to get Nottingham on the scoreboard.
But five minutes later another sweeping Doncaster attack had the Green and Whites in trouble, and the outstanding Justin Bishop cut inside, wrong-footing two defe3nders for a fine try, with Woodrow’s conversion making it 17-5.
Within minutes of Tau returning to the action though, Doncaster were again reduced to fourteen men, this time second row Bryn Griffiths shown a yellow card.
Again the Nottingham pack took full advantage, this time forcing a penalty try which Barlow converted to make it 17-12.
A fine break from Tim Molenaar created an opening down the right, with Rohaan Nirmalendran doing particularly well to offload as he was tackled, with Sam Raven finishing the move off with the touch down.
Barlow’s conversion gave Nottingham a two point lead, but a late penalty from Woodrow saw Doncaster go in at the break leading 19-17.
Barlow restored the Green and Whites lead just after the restart, but Knights scrum half Antoine Nicoud then slipped through a gap to send Donovan Van Vuuren in for a try, with Woodrow yet again slotting over the conversion, followed five minutes later by another penalty to make it 30-22.
Replacement Paul Bailey then squeezed over in the corner to secure a bonus point, with Woodrow converting from the touchline. His fourth penalty of the day five minutes later put Knights 40-22 in front.
But if most of the second half had been one way traffic, it was Nottingham who finished it in style.
First it was Joe Duffey who broke the visitors defence and just made it to the line for a fourth try three minutes from time, and with it a valuable bonus point.
And just when Nottingham supporters were settling for that Tim Molenaar took possession around his own 22 deep into injury time. He raced forward to beat the defence and just managed to hold off the challenge from Bishop to cross the line, having the presence of mind to cut inside and touch down as close to the posts as possible giving replacement Neil Stenhouse an easier conversion to secure a second bonus point.
That proved to be the last act of a compelling afternoon, with the commitment to attacking rugby from both sides truly admirable.
The only disappointment was that only 961 were there to witness it!
Nottingham: Nirmalendran; Kay, Dodge (Byatt), Molenaar, Savage; Barlow (Thompson), Pilgrim (Stenhouse); Hall, Duffey, Hopkins (Corbisiero), Raven (Morley), Rouse, Stannard (Wilks), Hammond (capt), Montagu.
Tries: Hammond, Penalty Try, Raven, Duffey, Molenaar. Convs: Barlow (3), Stenhouse. Pen: Barlow.
Attendance: 961
Chino Latino Man of the Match: Sam Raven
Plymouth Albion 19 Nottingham 18
Saturday 22nd September 2007
Defeat by a single point was in many ways an injustice.
And yet there were important lessons to be learnt from this game.
This was a game the Green and Whites could have won: they had the better of the territory, and had Albion on the rack for long periods. But ultimately they did not win because they did not make the best use of the opportunities they had.
Although Albion will know full well that they got out of jail, to their credit they took the points because they took their chances.
An early exchange of penalties from Ross Laidlaw and Tom Barlow set the tone as both sides vied for supremacy, a second from Laidlaw then giving the home side a 6-3 advantage.
But by midway through the first half it was Nottingham who were beginning to get a stranglehold.
A couple of times the pack pushed Albion back, and eventually forced their way over the line with Sam Raven getting the touch down and Barlow converting to make it 10-6.
A third penalty from Laidlaw cut the lead to a single point, but it was the Green and Whites enjoying the better of possession. For all the time spent in the home 22 though, they could not fashion a clear cut chance and paid dearly in injury time as Laidlaw put over his fourth penalty of the day to give Albion a 12-10 lead at the break.
Again Nottingham had long spells of domination in the second half, but again found it difficult to break down the disciplined home defence. It took something special to make the breakthrough, and it was provided by the pace of Josh Kay midway through the second half.
He had a lot to do, but his speed off the mark gave him the edge and he rounded his opposite number to dive over in the corner and restore the Nottingham lead.
That three point lead soon became six as an Albion front row man was particularly fortunate to escape a card for a cynical foul. Barlow put the penalty between the posts to make it 18-12 with fifteen minutes remaining.
Again Nottingham pressed but again they could not force a way through the defence, and again they paid for it.
By this stage the home crowd sensed a second successive home defeat, and a fourth straight defeat at the hands of the Green and Whites. Their frustration grew, but the jeers eventually turned to cheers as the Plymouth pack somehow created the opening for what proved to be the winning score.
There didn’t appear to be much danger as the home pack drove into the Nottingham 22. Indeed, the Green and Whites not only held up the drive but shoved the Albion forwards back. But then, seemingly from nowhere, scrum half Ed Lewsey sprang free to cut though a gap and just make it to the line as he was tackled.
That brought the home side to within a point and put the pressure on Laidlaw to clinch the game. He slotted the conversion over with minimal fuss to make it 19-18.
There was still time for drama though, as Nottingham drove forward in injury time and forced the penalty they needed.
It was a long way out - no more than five metres inside the Albion half - and with Barlow off the field replacement Neil Stenhouse took on the job.
He struck it well, but the cheers from the home crowd behind the goal told us all that it was drifting wide and that Albion had indeed stolen the points.
It was harsh, particularly on Stenhouse. He had not been on the field long and has not been kicking regularly. This was a difficult chance and no blame should be attached to him.
Overall this was Nottingham’s best performance of the season, but one which will remain in the memory for the wrong reasons.
They deserve every credit for not only matching but in many areas outplaying a side with genuine ambitions to be challenging at the top end of the table.
With just a little more composure and invention they would surely have made the long trip home celebrating a famous victory.
Nottingham: Nirmalendran; Kay, Dodge, Molenaar (Jackson), Savage; Barlow (Thompson), Pilgrim (Stenhouse); Hall, Duffey, Hopkins (Corbisiero), Raven, Rouse (Morley), Stannard, Hammond (capt), Montagu.
Tries: Raven, Kay. Conv: Barlow. Pens: Barlow (2).
Nottingham 31 Bedford Blues 16
Sunday 9th September 2007
Recent games between Nottingham and Bedford have been close fought affairs, and for an hour that was the case at Meadow Lane.
But the visitors allowed their frustration to get the better of them and two yellow cards in the space of four minutes did them no favours.
The Green and Whites took full advantage, with Luke Sherriff grabbing his second of the game to earn a bonus point with Tom Barlow converting for a 31-16 victory.
For the first twenty minutes though even a bonus point looked unlikely for Nottingham as Bedford enjoyed territorial supremacy.
Jon Elrick gave them the lead with a penalty on thirteen minutes, and they forced the first try of the game just a couple of minutes later.
It came from a scrum on the home 22, and although Nottingham put the Bedford pack under pressure a combination of neat interpassing and missed tackles created a gap on the left for winger Alby Page to nip through and touch down close to the posts. That gave Elrick a straightforward kick to make it 10-nil.
But Nottingham’s first serious attack saw them back in the game. A close range lineout gave them a good position, and although the pack had to regroup several times they eventually forced their way over the line with Sherriff getting the try and Barlow converting to make it 7-10.
This led to a good spell from the Green and Whites, but it was not until just before the break that they were able to add to that score.
As the ball was moved quickly from a scrum just outside the visitors 22, Barlow timed his pass to Tim Molenaar to perfection and the outstanding centre broke a half tackle to run clear and dive over under the posts. Barlow’s conversion put Nottingham 14-10 up at the break.
Barlow and Elrick exchanged early penalties, but the visitors again put Nottingham under intense pressure and forced a couple of half chances to regain the lead.
It was against the run of pay that Nottingham stretched their lead as Alex Dodge intercepted midway inside his own half.
He had plenty to do, but just managed to get to the line first before he was tackled. Barlow again added the conversion to make it 24-13.
From that point on though the game degenerated and referee Bruce Robertson showed the yellow card to Matt Volland and Nic Strauss in quick succession.
Another good drive from the Nottingham pack allowed Sherriff to force his way over to secure the bonus point, with Barlow again on target with his conversion effort.
But there were several ugly incidents, not least of which saw Sherriff forced out of the action with what looked a painful rib injury.
With all their replacements already on the field the Green and Whites had to finish the game down to fourteen men, but they held out well for a deserved and impressive win.
From start to finish they dominated the scrum, and for the most part the defence was solid.
They, too, had half chances to increase their try count, but a couple of careless handling errors, and the odd forward pass, let them down.
But this was a more than satisfactory win. Bedford are a tough, streetwise side and are always hard to beat.
Nottingham: Nirmalendran; Savage, Dodge (Byett), Molenaar, Kay; Barlow (Thompson), Pilgrim (Stenhouse); Hall, Duffey (Wilcox), Hopkins (Corbisiero), Raven, Rouse (Morley), Stannard (Hammond), Sherriff, Montagu.
Tries: Sherriff (2), Molenaar, Dodge. Convs: Barlow (4). Pen: Barlow.
Atendance: 932
Chino Latino Man of the Match: Tim Molenaar
Rotherham Titans 5 Nottingham 12
Sunday 9th September 2007
After the defeat against Moseley the boys came in for plenty of criticism.
The best way to answer critics though is to put things right, and they did so emphatically with this thoroughly deserved victory.
There is plenty of expectation at Rotherham, but Nottingham surprised them with their level of play, and silenced the normally vociferous home crowd as they romped to a first ever win at Clifton Lane.
The set piece improvement was particularly noticeable, with scrum, lineout and restarts all working well. Indeed, Nottingham’s first half dominance in the lineout saw them take seven Rotherham throws!
But perhaps the most telling improvement was in the attitude out on the field. From first whistle to last they showed a level of determination that Titans found difficult to handle.
This Titans side is much changed from last season, but still found their rythmn early to put Nottingham under pressure. They had the better of the early exchanges, but wasted a couple of golden opportunities to open the scoring.
With Nottingham stealing lineout ball almost at will, the frustration in the home camp grew steadily.
Eventually it was Nottingham who broke the deadlock on the half hour.
Not for the first time this season young Andy Savage got in a try saving tackle, with his team mates immediately turning defence into a pacey counter-attack to take them into the home 22. As they pressed for the line it was Tom Barlow who wrong-footed a defender to break through and touch down alongside the posts, adding the conversion himself to make it 7-nil.
They forced a couple of half chances to extend that lead before an injury time pushover saw Luke Sherriff grab the second try of the day to make it 12-nil at the break.
The next score was all important, and the clear expectation was of a Rotherham backlash.
But it was Nottingham who stunned the home camp with a third try.
Another solid scrum on the edge of the home 22 saw the ball quickly fed out to Matt Smith, who broke one tackle and made good ground before offloading to Rohaan Nirmalendran.
He did well to control the ball as he supported at pace and raced over the line, with Barlow’s conversion making it 19-nil.
The expected backlash did come though, and a powerful effort it was too. The Titans pack hammered away only to be frustrated by the Nottingham defence, and it was only when Nottingham scrum half Chris Pilgrim was sin-binned that the home side finally forced the breakthrough.
A series of rucks took them up to the visitors line where second row Louis McGowan crashed over, skipper Mike Whitehead just wide with the conversion attempt.
But as they continued to batter away at the defence so Nottingham seemed to grow stronger, with Rotherham’s frustration growing in equal measure.
Titans wasted another gilt edged opportunity to get back into the game when they created a four man overlap, but replacement Josh Kay had enough pace to get across quickly to cover and force his man into touch.
That proved to be Rotherham’s last serious chance and it was Nottingham who finished the game the stronger.
They were unlucky not to force a bonus point try with a couple of strong drives in the closing minutes.
Whilst no one, not even among the partisan Rotherham crowd, could deny the better side had won, Nottingham’s performance was all the more pleasing considering the injuries that had hampered preparation for this game.
Apart from the players who were absent, several others probably shouldn’t have played.
But Nic Rouse, Matt Parr and Tom Barlow came through a difficult afternoon reasonably unscathed, whilst Lee Morley and Nigel Hall both came off the bench in the final stages.
Nottingham: Nirmalendran; Savage, Smith, Dodge, Jackson (Kay); Barlow, Pilgrim; Parr (Hall), Duffey, Hopkins, Raven, Rouse (Morley), Stannard, Sherriff, Montagu.
Tries: Barlow, Sherriff, Nirmalendran. Convs: Barlow (2).
Atendance: 1,672
Nottingham 21 Moseley 28
Sunday 2nd September 2007
It was a disappointing start to the new season for Nottingham, beaten 28-21 by a Moseley side looking much stronger than last year.
The link with Gloucester is undoubtedly a big factor in their improvement, but it has to be said that at least two of their three tries came from Nottingham errors.
It was the visitors who looked the stronger in the scrum, while the Nottingham lineout also had its problems.
The Moseley defence deserves credit for this win though. A long spell of pressure from the Green and Whites in which they forced penalty after penalty deep in the visitors 22 came to nothing, and Moseley counter attacked swiftly and incisively to clinch the game.
Tom Barlow’s 250th point for the club put Nottingham 6-3 in front, after he and Welsh international Matt Jones had exchanges earlier penalties.
But it was Moseley who grabbed the first try of the game as Jimmy Ireland spotted a gap in the home defence from a scrum just inside the 22 and raced into the corner to touch down. Jones converted to make it 10-6.
A good passage of play led to the impressive Dan Montagu crossing for a try to put Nottingham back in front, with Barlow convering to make it 13-10.
A sweeping attack six minutes from half time brought the try of the game for the home side.
It started in the Nottingham 22 with Rohaan Nirmalendran, Andy Savage and Tom Moelannar all involved down the right, taking play deep into the Moseley half.
As the ball was moved over to the left wing the pack took it on and drove over, Luke Sheerriff getting the touch down to make it 18-10.
An injury time penalty from Jones cut the Nottingham lead, leaving them 18-13 up at the break.
The Green and Whites started the second half brightly, only to allow Moseley to level the scores as winger Mark Foster sprinted clear down the left following a lapse in concentration at a ruck on halfway.
Although Jones missed the conversion he duly put his side in front with a penalty eight minutes later.
One of the positives for Nottingham was that they had the majority of possession and territory in the second half. But despite that they struggled to create genuine chances against a particularly well organised Moseley defence.
There were plenty of calls from the crowd for a penalty try as the Moseley defence somehow kept Nottingham out, and those calls intensified when Mark Evans was sin binned.
And so it was against the run of play that Foster snatched his second of the game five minutes from the end of normal time, with the conversion from Jones opening up a ten point gap.
But deep into injury time replacement Neil Stenhouse put over a penalty to secure a losing bonus point.
That was of little consolation though, particularly as supporters watched skipper Tim Moelnaar being carried from the field in the dying minutes with what looked a painful leg injury.
Nottingham: Nirmalendran; Savage (Jackson), Smith, Molenaar (capt) (Sandhu), Dodge; Barlow (Thompson [Stenhouse]), Pilgrim; Parr, Duffey, Hopkins, Raven, Rouse, Stannard, Sherriff, Montagu.
Tries: Montagu, Sherriff. Conv: Barlow. Pens: Barlow (2), Stenhouse.
Atendance: 1,103
London Irish 40 Nottingham 19
Saturday 25th August 2007
London Irish: 15. Armitage; 14. Ojo; 13. Ireland; 12. Mordt; 11. Tagic