Lafferty and Claffey Roadshow

With 5 changes from last week, Harborough arrived in Leicester to find temperatures over 30 degrees C, no breeze and bright piercing sunshine.

The early skirmishes played into visitors hands and after 5 minutes Harborough galloped into a 0-7 lead. A switch of play from Josh Purnell behind the scrum, launched Joe Lafferty into his first 'roadrunner' sprint down the right wing, and he dotted down out wide. Tom Claffey added the conversion. It was to be the first of many contributions from the 'Lafferty and Claffey roadshow'. On ten minutes Claffey added a further penalty kick, after an Oadby high tackle, and Harborough led 0-10.

The returning Sam Staff started to put together a number of line breaks and the visiting supporters settled back to what should have been a comfortable passage of play. However, after a knock-on from the restart Oadby stepped and sprinted to the try line 15 metres right of the posts. 7-10. Harborough compounded their plight with a double penalty which saw Oadby draw level. 10-10.

The penalty bonanza from the previous week seemed to return to haunt the black cats. From seemingly excellent attacking positions Harborough presented the ball back to the home side who pushed forward and thwarted the visitors. There were some bright spots, Lafferty continued to fizz and flash in Harborough's backline, Jack Digby and Jack Burrows used their blunderbuss power through the middle of the park and Jack Brown and Henry Moss gave assured performances in the lineout.

There was a twenty minute spell of cat and mouse, tit for tat and too and fro rugby. Neither team taking advantage on the scoreboard. In fairness the conditions were energy sapping and the game was quite rightly stopped at regularly intervals to allow players to rehydrate and cool down.

Just before half time Tom Claffey knocked a penalty deep into Oadby's 22 and from the resulting left hand side lineout, the master of 'catch and drive rumbles', Tim Waterfield (pictured above), burrowed over. Claffey duly converted and at half time Harborough led 10-17.

After a well deserved break in the shade, Harborough got off to a flying start after interventions from Staff, Lafferty, Purnell and Brown; Olly Dawson hit the afterburners and went over to the right of the posts. The impressive kicking of Claffey, saw his conversion, extend Harborough's lead to 10-24.

Once again just as it looked like Harborough would pull away, a series of unforced errors crept into their game and two quick penalties put Oadby in Harbrough's 22. They were rewarded with a try and conversion. With another home penalty for a high tackle the lead shortened to 20-24.

With 20 minutes left in the game Harborough went up a gear or two and began to get the rub of the green with the penalty count. After some good forward work and slick hands, replacement Tim Windibank, acrobatically touched down one handed. Claffey wasn't in the mood to miss and duly converted from a few metres from the left touchline. 20-31

Oadby had caught the penalty blues and after a yellow card, Harborough went into overdrive from the lineout. Waterfield, Brown and Digby huffed and puffed on the way to the line, but in the Sam Blades who blew the house down from a few metres out. Indeed a Sam Blades try is a collectors piece, but right time and right place wins the day. Need we report, Claffey knocked over the conversion. 20-38.

Another Oadby yellow card followed, for a high tackle on the exuberant Lafferty, who had by now moved into the scrum half berth. Harborough kept the ball alive over several phases and the final try came as George Hallam looped behind his backs and shimmied through the short staffed Oadby defence. Claffey completed the scores with the conversion, not missing a kick all afternoon. 20-45.

This game was good in parts, but credit must go to both teams and officials for the quality of the display in such heat. Well played.

The 2nds put in a dominant display at Oadby winning 43-7. Our Newshound has it on good authority that centre/come prop/ come centre, Aaron Lyle scored four tries. Bravo Aaron!!

Next week sees the 1sts return to Northampton road to play Olney, it's first of the President's lunches. If you would like to attend contact Adey Neal on 07808 951256 or adrian@berry.uk.com