Jersey 13 Nottingham 20
by Tom Innes
Nottingham recovered from a torrid first half to claim the spoils
in Jersey and enhance their chances of claiming second place in the
Championship.
The home side led 7-3 at the break but should have been further
ahead. The Islanders had to be content with a bonus point, while
Notts' coach Martin Haag was pleased to come away with a win.
"I wasn't pleased with the first half display, but we improved
significantly, and to get the win against a good side on a boggy
pitch was pleasing," he said. "I wasn't happy losing two men to the
sin-bin but the way we held Jersey out at that stage was crucial to
the result."
Jersey attacked from the kick-off and soon gained a platform to
test Nottingham's scrum. After two penalties and two resets referee
Martin Fox signalled a penalty try.
Mark Foster was sin-binned for the Islanders and in his absence
James Arlidge had two penalty shots at goal for Nottingham,
converting one.
Then it was Nottingham's turn to see yellow, with hooker Joe
Duffey carded for foul play and prop Michael Holford following for
a technical offence. There was a chance for an attacking scrum, but
instead the ball was kicked to touch, to the disbelief of the home
crowd, and the opportunity for points against 13 men slipped
away.
Both sides began the second half at full strength, Arlidge
reducing the deficit with an early penalty. Thereafter his side
gained a foothold in the game and went ahead when captain Brent
Wilson finished off a catch-and-drive penalty move.
Jersey looked to score again from another series of scrums, but
failed to do so, and after a Le Bourgeois penalty, Wilson scored
another try, also from an attacking lineout. It was left to Le
Bourgeois to seal a bonus point for his side with a gutsy penalty
from 40 metres out.
"Maybe we didn't take the right options at times, but I couldn't
fault our work rate," said Jersey Director of Rugby Ben Harvey.
"The fact that we're disappointed to lose by seven points to a team
with Premiership ambitions shows how far we have come."
Harvey also paid tribute to the hard work of all those whose
efforts had enabled the game to go ahead.
Jersey's bonus point leaves the Islanders six points clear of
12th-placed Doncaster in their bid to avoid relegation in their
first season in the Championship.
Jersey, sponsored by Locate Jersey and
jersey.com: Davies (McCormack 72), McCrea (Sanders 25),
Foster, Stelling, Dawson, Le Bourgeois, Griffiths (capt); McCarthy,
Felton, Brennan (Gethings 77), Hannay (Voss 33), Markham,
Walker-Blair (Silcock 44), Thompson. Replacements not
used: Barrington, Clare.
Nottingham: Savage, Lewington, Cobden (Forsyth
62), Munro, Jackson (Bower 33-36), Arlidge, Romans (Barnham 62);
Harris, Duffey (Malton 67), Holford (Bower 76), Montagu, Rouse,
Cooper (Malton 33-36, Calladine 67), Wilson (capt), Shaw.
Replacements not used: Quinn, Lynn.
Referee: Martin Fox
Attendance: 1,410
Star Man: James Arlidge (Nottingham)
Half-time: 7-3
Scorers
Jersey
Try: Penalty try 7
Conversion: Le Bourgeois 7
Penalties: Le Bourgeois 61, 71
Nottingham
Tries: Wilson 48, 67
Conversions: Arlidge 48, 67
Penalties: Arlidge 15, 45
