RUGBY: Cricklade go down narrowly to Bath Saracens (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

Cricklade fail to capitalise on first-half superiority

10:52am Monday 11th March 2013 in Sport

Dorset & Wilts Div 2 North.

Bath Saracens 21 Cricklade 19.

CRICKLADE were left to ponder missed chances of the first half as Bath Saracens edged a tight game 21-19.

Cricklade had the first chance of points when they were awarded a penalty, but Nathan Waite pushed his kick narrowly wide.

Cricklade then took the home defence apart and should have scored, but the final pass was ruled forward and let their opponents off the hook.

Cricklade did not waste a later scoring opportunity when their powerful pack pushed Saracens back over their own line for Steve Baldwin to score.

Saracens were competitive in all areas except the scrum, but their line-outs were going well and that's where their reply started.

The clean take was mauled about for a while and they drew Cricklade in, then sharply moved the ball wide where a stretched defence was only able to bring them down as they crossed the line to make the score 5-5 at the break.

Infringements started to creep in during the second half and Waite converted a penalty in front of the posts. Some minutes later, Saracens were caught out again and the resulting penalty was slotted over by Waite.

With a six-point lead the visitors appeared to relax, but Saracens didn't and another good line-out and an even better drive saw them over the line again, with an easy kick for the extra points.

Saracens then kicked a penalty to widen the slender gap.

Cricklade rallied with a try by Arron Watkins to reclaim the lead but Saracens responded and edged in front again with another penalty.

Two more penalties were exchanged as the deficit remained the same.

With a minute left, Cricklade were awarded a penalty. It had to go over for the win, but it was not to be, and the whistle blew as the ball sailed wide leaving Saracens to celebrate a deserved win.