Spartans 30, Oakham 28.

In an epic RFU cup encounter recently bereaved Oakham visited Coppice Lane where two sides produced a superb and fascinating contest in the autumn sunshine.
Oakham were very quick out of the blocks and pressured Spartans line constantly for the first fifteen minutes and the home side were on the ropes, not touching the ball until after the visitors had scored their first try. Gradually Spartans found their feet and on a rare visit into Oakham territory Tom Hardy bagged a penalty to gain a foothold before some good work by the forwards allowed Alex Bennett to snatch an opportunist try and claim the lead. Oakham hit back strongly and a southern hemisphere contingent in midfield ran the game for them, but some good defence prevented further scores and as mistakes were made Spartans cashed in with a try for Tom Wayne and a driving forwards' try for the pack. At 20 - 7 the game was far from finished at half time, with both sides sensing it would be decided by fine margins at the end.
The second half exploded into life with a shuddering late tackle from Oakham's Fijian powerhouse centre which cost him a yellow card, and Tom Hardy dusted himself down to kick three crucial points. Back came Oakham and an increasingly influential Kiwi number 8 started to run the show as Spartans were pinned in their own half. Showing ambition but naivity through a couple of wild passes Spartans handed Oakham a gift wrapped try before the visitors scored a fine third try, and with them now back up to fifteen players it was desperation for the home side. Having lost three key players to injury, a moments' inspiration from a scrum saw Jamie Humpage flash down the wing and cross for a try out of the blue, and with Hardy adding the extras the Men In Black had a valuable nine point lead with ten minutes left. Once more the visitors used their antipodean experience to pressure and press in every possible area, and a richly deserved try and conversion left two points between the sides with two minutes to go. A frantic finale saw stalemate in the centre of the field as Oakham kept the ball for phase after phase, but eventually it cost them a penalty which Spartans booted into touch and both sides collapsed to the floor exhausted.
A battered, bruised and injured Spartans return to league action this week with Coventry Dunlop coming to Copplice Lane.