Tamworth 18 - Spartans 22

The first half began with Tamworth keeping everything tight as they pounded away using their streetwise forwards to good effect, and after ten minutes the Spartans dam finally burst when a gap was left close to a ruck. A large Tamworth forward squeezed through and sauntered home for a simple try, but the conversion was missed and Spartans earned a brief respite. From the kick off Spartans were finally able to win some ball, and showed what they were capable of on twenty minutes when after some quick ball Alex Danish scorched the touchline and touched down, with the try converted by Tom Hardy. Back came Tamworth with repeated surges through their forwards and once more Spartans were pinned in their own 22 for long periods. Pressure eventually saw Tamworth bag a penalty for 8 - 7, but a rare visit into the home half saw Tom Hardy hit the crossbar with a 45m effort and Spartans realised they had a chance. Tamworth ended the half very much on top with their forwards running the show, but Spartans escaped and were just the one point behind at half time.

The second half saw the game of chess continue with Tamworth keeping everything tight and Spartans trying to play wide, and it was the visitors who benefitted the most as following some nice handling Alex Garbett flew down his wing for a try converted by Tom Hardy for 14 - 8. Tamworth responded by using their backs even less, with nine man rugby serving them very well. Creeping forwards slowly, the home pack gradually wore down the black defence, and proving quick over one metre, Tamworth's Eubie Saayman crossed the whitewash to narrow the gap. As Tamworth tired Spartans restored their lead with a Tom Hardy penalty, but four points was never going to be enough, and once more they were forced to defend drive after drive from a seasoned outfit. Sandhu, Franks and Yardley rolled back the years and once more they crept over to change the lead with 15 minutes left. A great break by Spartans Michael Bennett and excellent support from little Jack Sharpe saw the latter sting Tamworth for a try out wide and set up a frantic finale. Tamworth threw everything including the kitchen sink at Spartans as time ticked away, and once more the home forwards pounded the line, but the Men In Black refused to buckle and somehow survived no less than eleven five metre scrums. Finally the referee decided enough was enough, with Spartans just about shading a brutal contest.