Hammond’s happy to take the points home

■By STEVE JACKSON

Cambridge ……. 15pts

Tries: Edwards 43, Caven 74

Conversion: James 44

Penalty: James 80

Nottingham…… 20pts

Tries: Olowofela 12, Williams 14, 48

Conversion: Arden 49

Penalty: Arden 71

NOTTINGHAM took four points from their first visit to Grantchester Road, a feat largely achieved by strategically and successfully preventing Cambridge from playing their preferred brand of rugby in the first 40 minutes.

The Archers, wisely deciding that attack was the best form of defence, pinned the Blood & Sand in their own half, with Richie Williams' side unable to make an entry into the opposition 22 before half time.

Head coach Craig Hammond said “We knew they were a good team after nearly knocking us over at the Bay before Christmas. They play some good rugby here and we were pretty disciplined in the first half which was just as well as there was more rugby played in our half after the break than we would have liked. You don't mind winning, do you, and I'm proud of the boys and the effort they put in.”

After a scrappy opening ten minutes, Cambridge lost a lineout on the right of their own 22, and the visitors went wide the other way for winger Ryan Olowofela to evade several attempted tackle to dot down. Matty Arden missed the conversion.

Arden hit the post with a penalty near the half hour – and was also wayward off the tee following David Williams try after 34 minutes, where the winger ran a gentle arc into open space to score with ease.

The first score of the second half was always going to be important and it went to the hosts three minutes in, with Sam Edwards dummying left then turning on his heels to outwit the Archers' defence and dart in under the sticks. Steff James, on for the injured Jamie Benson, slotted over the conversion. But that hard work was undone five minutes later as Ellis Mee broke to feed Williams again in the 22 for Nottingham's third of the afternoon. This time, Arden converted and added a penalty with nine minutes left for good measure.

A late rally – spearhead by Jared Cardew – saw a trademark dash down the wing from Eli Caven. And while James couldn't convert from out wide, he still had the opportunity to bring up the losing bonus point with the last kick of the game with a penalty in front of the posts on the 22.

Blood & Sand head coach Richie Williams felt his side had paid the price for a lacklustre first half. “We had a lack of control in the middle third before half time. We felt the game was still there to be won in the second half and – especially in the last 15 minutes when the shackles were off we played as well as we've done all season. We just didn't do that for enough of the game.”