Market Rasen and Louth RFC dispatch plucky Ashby colts in coach’s final game

The 64-19 win over bottom side Ashby earned the Red and Greens a fifth-place finish and capped a season of highs and lows, as a strong start was knocked back by a mid-season decline, but ended with a late-season revival of three straight wins.

Ashby were handicapped by the refusal of a core of senior players to travel, replaced by an enthusiastic group of colts who did their best and ensured their club didn’t suffer a big points deduction next season for not fulfilling this fixture.

Rasen were soon on the front foot and Ben Young appeared to have opened the scoring after seven minutes, but the score was ruled out for a forward pass.

The winger didn’t have to wait long and with Rasen remained camped in Ashby’s 22, the hosts worked the phases after a strong scrum to create another overlap for Young to finish the job.

Ashby botched the restart and Rasen were back on the attack following a scrum in midfield.

The Ashby youngsters were struggling to find their feet and helped Rasen’s cause by falling off countless tackles as Tom Stephens powered his way to the line for a second try.

Tom Alldridge slotted the conversion and repeated the dose four minutes later when Jake McKay picked up from the base of the scrum to force his way over.

Adam Goodwin secured the bonus point after Rasen had cut loose with some good handling to breach a flagging defence.

Alldridge again added the conversion before the game descended into four minutes of madness when Ashby reeled off three quick tries through Daniel Livesey, Tom Wills and Alex Harrap as the hosts went to sleep.

The game had almost been turned on its head until the Red and Green ranks restored some composure, working the phases before Stephens grabbed his second try.

Alldridge converted and Rasen had breathing space once more with a 33-19 half-time lead.

Ashby’s mini revival became a distant memory as Rasen stretched their lead with the opening play of the second half, ending with Goodwin’s powerful run up the wing to the corner.

Five minutes later neat interplay between White and Jake Pryer ended with White just having enough gas to reach the corner.

The forwards had dominated all game as their young counterparts struggled to cope with the physicality of the senior game, and they turned the screw with a 20-metre drive, setting up Stephens for his hat-trick.

Despite the heat, Rasen’s pressure was relentless as Ashby visibly wilted and collected injuries.

Pryer broke through the defence to score under the posts to leave Alldridge with another simple conversion.

Stephens, Pryer and Chris Everton then conspired to engineer another try for Stephens as simple draw and pass movement of the ball opened up the defence.

Alldridge’s conversion was the last score of the game as Ashby picked up another injury which would have reduced them to 14, and with 17 minutes left the two captains and the referee agreed to end the game early.

Rasen: Ashton (Howard), Alldridge, Southwell, Crow, Chamberlin, J. Norton, Grant, McKay, C. Everton, White, Young, Goodwin, Pryer, W. Stephens (Roberts), T. Stephens.