Boston RFC's new era is off to a winning start

Cleethorpes 6

Boston Rugby Club made a winning start to life under the new coaching set-up of Grev Bray and Simon Cook, defeating Cleethorpes 59-6 in the Notts, Lincs and Derbyshire Plate.

The Blue and Whites have been undergoing something of a transformation this summer, looking to blend experience and youth into the new-look first team squad.

As a result, six players, George Stainfield, Josh Cook, Callum McNulty, Ryan Cuthbertson, Toby Scott and Jordache StonesBlackman were handed their first team debuts at the Boardsides on Saturday.

Boston started strongly and quickly raced into a 12-point lead, courtesy of two tries from centre Tom Andrews, the first try being converted by Matt Bray to take a 12-0 lead within eight minutes.

Despite the inclement weather conditions, Boston’s handling was good and slick interpassing and off-loading in the forwards saw hooker Craig Dowse score to extend the lead 17-3.

On 25 minutes, a break by fullback McNulty inside his own 22 saw him produce a deft kick ahead, which winger Stainfield ran onto to outpace the visitors defence and score.

The conversion by Bray moved the score to 24-3.

McNulty would add a further try before half time to see Boston 31-3 ahead.

During the second half, the coaching team used the bench to give players valuable game time and make their debuts.

Not to be outdone by the youth section, second row Lewis Eldin produced a surging run outside the 22 to score the first try of four further tries.

Wingers Stainfield and Cook would add three more before the close of play.

Stainfield secured a brace to record a hat-trick, the last being a superb kick return, running half the length of the pitch to score, with fly half Bray securing a personal tally of 14 points.

BOSTON: Lane, Dowse, Sampson, Eldin, Coley, Lawson, Andrews, Hough, Laidlaw, Bray, Stainfield, Kippax, Andrews, Cook, McNulty; Replacements: Scott, Sharp, Cuthbertson, Blackman, Baldwin.