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Lincoln take Cuppers Plate victory

Postponed from the end of last term, because of a backlog of games due to flooded pitches earlier in the year, no one was quite sure who would prevail in this battle of Turl Street in the Plate Final. Lincoln were arguably the more experienced side and certainly had a size advantage in the pack whilst Jesus, boosted by a large Freshers’ contingent, had put in some dominant displays before the Easter break.

With a seven-week gap since both sides had played a competitive game, fitness was always going to be key and a bit of rust was expected. However, the early exchanges provided the opposite as both sides played with a high intensity from the first whistle. Lincoln dominated possession and territory, but were guilty of several infringements at the breakdown, which, allied with excellent work in the loose by the Jesus forwards, left the game scoreless for much of the first half. Jesus were dogged in defence, continually stifling out half-breaks by the men in blue and making last-ditch tackle after last-ditch tackle. In contrast, they never quite achieved the fluidity in attack they would have liked. Miscues in the lineout and ball-security issues stopped them in their tracks whenever they looked like gaining some momentum. Still, Jesus always looked dangerous whenever they put a string of phases together.

A particularly intense period just before half time saw Lincoln camped in their opposition’s 22, relentlessly pressing for the first score of the game. Jesus’s defence, as it had done all half, refused to yield. Lincoln finally forced their way over the try-line, only to be denied the score as the ball was held up. From the following scrum, with timing running out in the half, Lincoln tried to rumble over once more.

The men in green, desperately looking for a turnover, went off their feet at the breakdown at few phases later and the referee duly awarded Lincoln the penalty. Lincoln’s fly half showed great awareness to catch Jesus’s defence napping, taking the penalty quickly and diving over the line before the opposition could react. He was unable to add the extras leaving the score 5-0 at halftime.

The second half continued much in the same way as the first. Lincoln, again with the lion’s share of the possession, started to find more holes in the Jesus defence and continually exploited overlaps from their set piece. The size advantage in pack also started to tell, as Lincoln caused more and more problems at scrum time.

A turnover in the scrum led to Lincoln’s second and final try, with a score in the far corner extending their lead to 10-0 midway through the second half. Perhaps through slight over-eagerness though, they continued to concede penalties at the tackle area. The referee finally lost patience, sending the Lincoln No. 8 to the bin for flying off his feet one too many times. Jesus were unable to press the advantage despite a couple of visits into Lincoln’s 22, although a successful long range attempt at goal made for a frantic finish with the sides only separated by one score.

The comeback Jesus craved was not to be, and as the referee blew for the final whistle he condemned them to their third defeat in three years in a Cuppers Final. No complaints could be had though as Lincoln were worthy victors and will undoubtedly enjoy the bragging rights this win gives them over their Turl Street rivals for a few years to come.

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