SATURDAY 26th/27th DECEMBER 2005

NEC Harlequins 47 (Tries:  Williams 2, Harder, Easter, Keogh, Sherriff, Duffy. Cons: Mehrtens 5, Jarvis.) 

London Welsh 23 (Tries: Chiltern, Swords, Swales, Hannon. Pen: Cholewa.). 

Before a record Stoop crowd of 10,155 Quins continued their 100% start to the season running in seven tries although the Welsh did not buckle and managed four of their own in the second half. But with Quins going in 33-3 ahead they were always playing catch up. .   

On the score sheet in the first half were No 8 Nick Easter and wing Simon Keogh who were both scoring their 8th tries of the season. Full back Tom Williams bagged a brace with one in each half. Andrew Mehrtens converted five of his six attempts before Adrian Jarvis converted the last try.

The Welsh did manage four tries in the second half to pick up a bonus point.

Otley 17 (Try: Wilson. Pens: Binns 4.) 

Earth Titans 22 (Tries:  Blackett, Strettle 2. Cons: Whitehead, Brear. Pen: Whitehead.). 

The Titans sneaked a late win at Cross Green with a 79th minute try form winger Dave Strettle. The Titans close to within a point of fourth placed Plymouth Albion after this victory.

The home side were ahead on seven minutes with Simon Binns slotting over a penalty goal. The lead lasted five minutes before the Titans scored the games opening try as centre Lee Blackett touched down. Binns and Mike Whitehead exchanged penalty goals before the visitors went further ahead with try number two as wing Dave Strettle touched down and this time Whitehead converted for 15-6. Otley managed to cross the Titans line just after the half hour mark through No 8 and captain Glen Wilson to go in four points adrift at the break.

Penalties from Binns on 51 and 53 minutes saw the home side go into a 17-15 lead which they held till Strettle’s winning score.

Plymouth Albion 23 (Tries: Fisilau, Sestaret, Schusterman. Con: Saumi. Pens: Saumi 2.) 

Cornish Pirates 26 (Tries: Ma’asi, Jarvis. Cons: Jarvis 2. Pens: Barlow 2, Jarvis. DG: Jarvis.). 

Excellent away win for the Cornish Pirates at a packed Brickfields where 5672 squeezed in for this Holiday fixture.   

Albion just edged at half time 8-6 after going ahead on four minutes with a Nat Saumi penalty goal. Tom Barlow levelled for the Pirates on nine minutes but on 40 minutes the home side went 8-3 ahead with a try form flanker Martin Schusterman but in injury time a second Barlow penalty saw the visitors go in just two points behind.

Two tries in the opening 13 minutes of the second half changed the game as the Pirates turned t round to lead 20-8 with hooker Viliami Ma’asi and half time replacement Lee Jarvis touching down and Jarvis added both conversions.

Just after the hour mark the home side were back within striking distance after a try from centre Keni Fisilau which Saumi converted. Jarvis and Saumi then exchanged penalty goals but when Jarvis dropped a 80th minute goal they were two scores ahead. French wing Nicolas Sestaret did get a third home try but in was not enough and the Pirates left with the win.

Coventry 24 (Tries: Harvey, Stewart, Venter. Cons: Moore 3. Pen: Moore.) 

Bedford Blues 31 (Tries: Johnson 2, Kettle, Paramore, Penalty try. Cons: Harris 3.). 

Tale of two halves at the Butt Arena after the Blues overcame a 24-12 half time deficit to take the points.    

Three tries in the opening half hour saw the home side build up a 24-7 lead after full back Dave Harvey get them off the mark on nine minutes and James Moore converted. The Blues were level six minutes later after they were awarded a penalty try by referee Martin Fox. But Coventry responded within a couple of minutes with flanker Henno Venter touching down and Moore converted. He kicked a penalty on 28 minutes and two minutes later converted try number three from centre Apoua Stewart. Before the break Bedford narrowed the gap with a second try as flanker Adam Kettle touched down.

14 minutes into the second half and they were level with tries form hooker Chris Johnson and No 8 Junior Paramore and Mark Harris adding a conversion.

The winning score came on 72 minutes when Johnson got his second and Harris added the extras.

Newbury 37 (Tries: DamuDamu, Radbourne, Bell, Feeney. Cons: Feeney 4. Pens: Feeney 3.) 

Exeter Chiefs 35 (Tries: Murdoch, Ward, Barrett, A Fatialofa, Penalty try. Cons: Yapp 3, Barrett 2.). 

Fly half Blair Feeney was again instrumental as he racked up 22 points in a ding dong match which could have gone either way.    

Newbury climb above the Chiefs in the table after this win but only just as the Chiefs picked up two bonus points in the match.

The Chiefs had the better of the first half and went in 14-10 ahead after tries from right wing Ali Murdoch and centre Stephen Ward whilst for the home side flanker Isoa DamuDamu went over for his 7th try of the season whilst the rest of the points came from the boots of Blair Feeney and Tony Yapp.

In the second half Newbury were ahead six minutes in when second row Tom Radbourne went over for a try and Feeney converted. The lead last eight minutes before the visitors regained it with a try from scrum half Kevin Barrett converted by Yapp.

Back came the home side with a Feeney penalty goal and then a 61st minute try form centre Duncan Bell and Feeney added the extras to make it 27-21.

The lead on last three minutes as Exeter hit back with try number four form replacement centre Junior Fatialofa and this time Barrett added the extras for 28-27.

Just a couple of minutes later Feeney went over himself and converted and Newbury were back in front at 34-28.

Amazing Exeter regained the lead again on 73 minutes with a fifth try when they were awarded a penalty try and Barrett did the rest for 35-34.

The winning score came form the boot of Feeney when on 79 minutes he slotted over a penalty goal.

Nottingham 30 (Tries: Molenaar, Corcoran 2, Thompson. Cons: Stenhouse 2. Pens: Stenhouse 2.) 

Pertemps Bees 8 (Try: Gerry. Pen: Lamb.). 

Nottingham move up to eighth place after this home win over the Bees who are now just two points clear of second bottom London Welsh who picked up a four try bonus point at the Stoop against leaders Quins.    

It took the home side just four minutes to open the scoring with centre Tim Molenaar going over for a try converted by Neil Stenhouse for 7-0. Four minutes later and Ryan Lamb pulled three points back for the Bees with a penalty goal.

The rest of the scoring in the first half went the way of the home side as they built up a 22-3 lead. There were tries forN0 8 Adam Corcoran and full back Ben Thompson and Stenhouse added five points form the boot.

Corcoran got a second try 10 minutes into the second half to secure the bonus point, Stenhouse failed to converted but did add a penalty goal later on before the visitors scored a late consolation try through replacement hooker Ben Gerry.

Doncaster 33 (Tries:  J Boden, Penalty try, Wakley. Cons: Liley 3. Pens: Liley 4.) 

Sedgley Park 20 (Tries: Woof, J Albinson. Cons: Jones 2. Pens: Jones 2.). 

Doncaster pick up their fifth home success of the season and are now seven points clear of the relegation zone. Park find themselves three points adrift at the bottom after this defeat.    

The home side went into 16-0 lead in the opening 18 minutes with a try from Jon Boden which Rob Liley converted as well as kicking three penalty goals. Park were on the scoreboard on 22 minutes with a penalty goal form Phil Jones and right back in it on 29 minutes when centre Shaun Woof went over for a try and Jones converted to make it 16-10 but before the break Doncaster were nine ahead with Liley landing a fourth penalty goal.  

Jones pulled three points back early in the second half but when the home side were awarded a penalty try and Liley converted Doncaster were 16-13 ahead. Just after the hour mark they went further ahead when centre Nick Wakley went in for a try and Liley made it seven out of seven kicks for the afternoon with the conversion and a 33-13 lead.

The visitors did manage the final try when replacement scrum half Jamie Albinson went over on 80 minutes and Jones added the extras.