Nottingham completed their pre-season programme with a convincing win over London Scottish, running in eight tries and preventing the visitors scoring a single point in the second half.
New signing Evan Mitchell was happy with how the pre-season has gone: “We knew the first few games we were going to have to bond as a team but the one thing we asked for was for everyone to work hard. I think that has underpinned the whole pre-season, we talk about working hard for each other and we’ve seen that tonight.”
The first five minutes were hard work as the ball spent a lot of time in the air. That was until David Williams, returning to the Archers after a summer playing in Australia, fumbled a high ball that set up good field position for Scottish to do a number of pick and goes, with the outstretched arms of Lewis Barrett finally opening the scoring for the Exiles.
But it was Nottingham’s turn to do likewise under five minutes later and, with the aid of a couple of penalties five metres out, Jack Dickinson was able to level matters. Scottish struck back almost immediately, however, as Lewis Barrett plundered his way over the line from close range for a second time.
In an end-to-end contest the Archers levelled the scores once again nearing the midway point of the half after a flowing move from a line out took the home side to within sight of the line and James Cherry added the finishing touch. And it was rinse and repeat shortly afterwards except it was Michael Green who took it over in the shadow of the posts to give the hosts the lead for the first time.
The Archers extended their advantage on the half hour mark after a darting run by Gwyn Parks took his side into the 22 and the ball was worked to the left wing for Harry Graham to sprint over in the corner. He barely had a chance to catch his breath before he was set free again and Graham went over under the posts this time.
With the last act of the first half the Exiles reduced the arrears with another close range effort, this time from Jack Wright, making the score Nottingham 33-17 London Scottish at the break.
Within three minutes of the restart Will Yarnell broke through the Scottish defensive line on his own 22, offloading the ball on halfway for Mitchell to outrun the cover defender and register the Archers’ sixth try of the evening.
The full-back was feeling the effects of his exploits after the match: “The legs are feeling it now. You can’t replicate match fitness and having to run it in from 50-odd metres in your first game at home is pretty tough!”
With a whole host of changes for both teams the second half largely lacked the fluency of the first and opportunities at either end of the field were few and far between. That was until Jay Ecclesfield powered over the line with 10 minutes remaining, in his last act before being replaced.
With time running out Josh Goodwin intercepted a pass deep in his own 22 and ran the length of the pitch to make the final score Nottingham 52-17 London Scottish.