Blue and Whites narrowly beaten

Alan Phoenix atemptes to halt a Worksop attack.

Boston Rugby Club were left to rue a slow first half-hour as they were beaten 22-15 by fellow strugglers Worksop.

The 17-5 interval deficit proved too much for the hosts to overcome at the Boardsides and they remain bottom of the Midlands 4 East (North).

To their credit, Boston raised their game after the break and tries from wingers Ben Moody and Josh Cook brought the home side back into contention.

However, they failed to secure the win, coming away with a losing bonus point.

The team saw Paul-Mihai Melnicov make his debut at centre, but it was the Worksop centre pairing who were to prove the more threatening, testing the home side’s defence all afternoon and recording the first points of the day.

A push-over try shortly afterwards gave the visitors a 0-12 lead, but on 26 minutes a deft kick through by fly half Steve Kippax saw centre Jarron Cowern outpace the opposition defence to score, narrowing the deficit to 5-12.

A shoulder injury to captain Alex Hough forced his retirement from the game, Toby Scott coming off the bench to hook, but a further try from five metres out saw Boston go in at half time with a mountain to climb.

The break re-focused and re-energised the home team, who came out positively.

It would only take seven minutes before Moody picked up a loose ball from a ruck and sprinted down the blind side touchline to move the score to 10-17.

Midway through the half Cook followed up a kick through, showing his pace to score to reduce the deficit to 15-17.

A late try for Worksop left the home time only seven minutes to try to alter the result, but a series of penalties and a lack of possession did not allow them to create any further scoring opportunities.

The Firsts are without a fixture on Saturday but the Development side travel to play Skegness Seconds.

The Firsts return to league action the week after, hosting East Retford (KO 2.15 pm).

BOSTON: Lane, Phoenix, Hough, Hardstaff, Coley, Eldin, Starkey, Noble, Chapman, Kippax, Cook, Cowern, Melnicov, Moody, Bray; replacements: Baldwin, Gray, Betts, Jones, Scott.