3 IN A ROW FOR CALDY

Caldy and Nottingham kicked off the weekend’s action on Friday night at Lady Bay, as the Ravers banked their third straight win to climb to eighth in the table. Oliver Hearn and Ryan Olowofela traded tries early on, but Hearn’s second just before the break gave the visitors a five-point lead at half time. Chris Pilgrim added another eight minutes after the restart, but David Williams pegged another one back minutes later. Caldy kept the scoreboard ticking over with three points from the boot of Elliot Gourlay and a converted Sam Dickinson try, before Nottingham scored a late consolation try through Michael Green, but it wasn’t enough to rescue a losing bonus point. The Ravers’ impressive run continues as attention now turns to Bedford Blues at home next Saturday.

EALING END HARTPURY RUN

Ealing Trailfinders brought Hartpury’s five-game unbeaten run to an end with a bonus-point win at The Alpas Arena. Matty Jones darted over for the hosts with 16 minutes on the clock, but Ealing responded with a Simon Uzokwe double plus a penalty try, with Hartpury's only other points of the half coming through a Tommy Mathews penalty. Mathews added three more points from the tee after the restart, but the decisive try would come from a familiar source when Carlo Tizzano, the league’s leading try scorer, crossed in the 69^th minute to all but seal the win. The five-point haul sees the Trailfinders continue their run at the top of the table, five points ahead of Jersey Reds.

BLISTERING BLUES RUN RIOT

Bedford Blues outscored Cornish Pirates seven tries to one to close the gap on third-placed Coventry. Matt Worley flew over for an early brace, before Arwel Robson hit six points off the tee for the visitors. Tui Uru rumbled over for Bedford’s third but again Pirates hit back, this time through Alex Schwarz, and from there on only the hosts would add to the scoreboard. Joey Conway brought up the bonus point just before half time and two Will Maisey penalties either side of the break put the Blues into a 21-point lead.  Robin Williams added a fifth on the hour mark and there were two late scores for Dean Adamson and Luke Frost to round off an emphatic performance at Goldington Road.

EXILES PUSH REDS ALL THE WAY

London Scottish pushed second-placed Jersey Reds all the way at The Stade Santander, coming within two points of causing one of the upsets of the season. Eoghan Clarke and Viliami Tualani crashed over early on, and Will Brown and Cam Anderson traded tries just before the break, as the Reds took a 14-12 lead into the break. Brown bagged his second six minutes after the restart, but Dan Nutton struck one back for the Exiles before the hour mark. Brendan Owen scored in the 62^nd minute to bring up the bonus point, but Scottish refused to give up and crossed for a fourth through Sam Riley to set up a nail-biting finale. The visitors hammered away and were rewarded with a last-minute penalty, but Harry Sheppard’s kick narrowly missed the uprights and the final whistle sounded seconds later. Heartbreak for Scottish, who will, at least, take some solace from securing two bonus points against one of the toughest assignments they will face all season.

KNIGHTS BACK TO WINNING WAYS

Doncaster Knights left it late, but got back to winning ways with a four-point win against Richmond at The RAG. Jack Metcalf struck early on for the visitors but Richmond levelled up on the stroke of half time through Will Kaye. Toby Saysell and a Doncaster Knights penalty try took the score to 14-14, but Alex Dolly struck two penalties, with Bill Johnston adding one for the hosts, to give the Knights a three-point lead heading into the final quarter of the match. The decisive moment came when Connor Edwards darted over and Dolly added the extras to put the result beyond doubt, as the Knights clinched a valuable win on the road, their first of the New Year.