Leaders Old Northamptonians made it 11 wins from 12 Midlands One East games as they comfortably swept aside Market Rasen & Louth.
A high tackle as the ONs attacked presented Alex Rose with a chance and his successful kick gave the home side an early lead.
The ONs failed to deal with the restart but the resulting penalty was missed. Although when the ONs lost their own scrum in front of the posts and infringed, the simple kick was slotted to bring the scores level.
A Rose attempt from 45 metres fell just short before he was again on target minutes later to restore the lead, and after 21 minutes the ONs scored their first try.
Rasen had won a lineout and set up a drive just inside their own half but Mark Edwards expertly turned over possession before making ground and the attack was quickly moved to the right for Adam Civil to dive over.
Dan Napier replaced Matt Mills, who looked to have sustained a serious rib injury, and the conditions dominated for the remainder of the half as ONs led 11-3 at the break.
The ONs took control on restart with Tom Goodman sliding a kick through and the follow up forcing a lineout which was won and driven forward. The visitors were penalised, and Goodman quickly took the kick to plunge over.
Rose added the conversion but was then just wide with a penalty following a devastating run from deep by Rory Seymour and Goodman scored his second following hard work from the ONs pack, to take the score to 23-3 after 52 minutes.
Jack Rose came on at full-back, with Seymour moving to fly-half to give Rose a well earned rest after his midweek exertions for the English Fire Service against their Welsh counterparts.
Zac Draper came on for Ralph Rainbow but the visitors then had their best period of the game, retaining possession through the phases and putting the ONs scrum under pressure, but the defence held firm and gradually control was regained.
A strong run from Rose just failed to bring the bonus-point score although this quickly followed with the award of a penalty try and an easy conversion from Goodman.
The final try would have been outstanding even in dry conditions.
When an attack towards the clubhouse corner was halted, the ball was quickly recycled and simple, accurate and rapid passing along the backs gave Kieran O’Connor the opportunity to outflank the defence.
Wellingborough 15 BBOB 10
Wellingborough put their recent problems behind them with a hard-fought 15-10 victory at the expense of BBOB.
BB kicked off in the pouring rain and howling wind.
BB opted to go to the corner from a penalty and captain Olly James, playing in his new position of back row, smashed his way over to putBBOB 5-0 ahead.
The game slipped and slid on, Boro levelling the score with a try of their own. Goal kicking was impossible in such conditions and it was always going to be a game won on tries.
Boro scored again when their second row ploughed over to make it 10-5.
BB went into the corner again and from the lineout James got his second try to level matters before half-time.
If it was possible, the game detriorated just like the pitch, as players struggled to stay on their feet.
With BB on the attack, the Boro back intercepted to run nearly the length of the pitch to score the winning try.
The game by now had turned into a farce and the referee blew up for full-time.
BBOB enjoy a well-earn rest this weekend.
Peterborough 19 Towcestrians 24
Towcestrians resisted a late fightback to secure a 24-19 win at Peterborough.
In deteriorating weather, Tows got off to a bright start after Borough’s attack broke down. Chrissie George released Matt Yuil to score and James Falvey converted. It was looking good for Tows.
Peterborough, desperate to get away from the league’s nether regions in front of their home crowd, summoned up a drive from a five-metre scrum, the resulting try and conversion levelling the scores.
Tows wasted several good attacking positions by taking wrong options and failing to get their lineout working, but a quickly taken penalty saw Dave Stocks score for a 12-7 half-time lead.
In the cold driving rain both sides struggled to put together phases to play some decent rugby.
Finally a lineout drive provided a score for skipper Liam Wilkinson. Falvey’s conversion stretched Tows’ lead.
Peterborough came back into it with a try from a quickly taken penalty.
Tows looked to have made the game safe with a try from young prop Conor Cahill.
With four of last year’s colts on the field, Tows looked to have seen off the home side, but a needless kick gifted possession to the Borough right wing who ghosted down the touchline and under the posts, giving the hosts hope of a comeback.
But Tows played possession rugby as they battled endlessly for the last seven minutes to seal a hard-fought win.
Oundle 7 Brackley 29
After a run of relatively easy matches in recent weeks, Brackley were well aware they faced a far stiffer challenge on Oundle’s home turf.
Having only lost narrowly to promotion contenders St Ives and St Neots so far this season, the fourth-placed team had convincingly outscored Bedford Swifts on the road a week previously.
Yet despite the wet, cold and greasy conditions, Brackley raised their game to play some scintillating rugby and overcome their hosts by five tries and two conversions against a late try and conversion, winning 29-7.
Daventry 13 Stockwood Park 22
Daventry were beaten 22-13 at home by Stockwood Park on a blustery and wet afternoon, which made quality play a big ask.
Daventry were slow to start and conceded a converted try and a penalty in the opening 10 minutes.
But the play inevitably slowed down with the deteriorating weather conditions.
Stockwood Park went over with a driving maul for another try. Nick Smith converted a penalty just before half-time to make the score 15-3 to the visitors at the break.
In the second half Daventry began to get back into the game with a try from Jason Mills and a try from Callum Spires to make the score 15-10.
Stockwood Park intercepted a long pass with a converted try at the end of the game to win 22-13.
Dunstable 32 Old Scouts 3
While a scoreline of 32-3 may suggest a one-sided encounter, Scouts still put in a good performance in awful conditions at Dunstable.
The only downside to Scouts’ first half was the loss of Jordan Judd to hospital with a damaged hand and Richard Slinn with an ankle injury.
Various others picked up injuries in the second half and Scouts became exposed out wide.
An Adam Frost penalty was all Scouts could take away in points from the game, but they left with a huge amount of pride for a hard working performance.
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