Norwich 12 Cantabrigians 15 – Norwich waste good chance to end slump
Norwich apply some early pressure during Saturdays home defeat at the hands of Cantabrigians. Picture: ANDY MICKLETHWAITE - Credit: Archant
Norwich's alarming drop in form continued on Saturday with a home defeat at the hands of Cantabs who had the previous week had a substantial win over Sudbury and were therefore not to be taken lightly.
The hosts started well and from the kick-off forced a line-out inside their opponents' 22. From there the forwards drove over and Tom Whiskin got the touchdown to give his side an early lead, with the conversion being missed.
Norwich dominated the early exchanges, playing some good football. However the visitors started to get into the game and forced the home side to defend, which they did gamely. After this period of defence it was Norwich who looked more threatening of the two sides but they could not add to their lead.
After half an hour Cantabs levelled the score with a delightful diagonal kick from fly-half James Hayward which was scooped up by full-back Tim Charlton who scored in the corner. He could not convert his own try and the score remained at 5-5 at the interval.
Norwich played with the elements in the second half but were unable to use them to great effect because Cantabs denied them possession and when Norwich did win the ball they tried to run it rather than kick for the corner, which was the obvious option.
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Cantabs played well in the second period, taking the game to Norwich at every opportunity. They were rewarded with a second try after a period of pressure when replacement back rower Joseph Allison went over in the right-hand corner for a score which was not converted.
With 10 minutes left on the clock Norwich got the score that should have won the match. They got into the opponents' 22 and from a rolling maul got the try they desperately needed. Replacement full-back JC Brown kicked a magnificent conversion from wide out to give Norwich the lead slightly against the run of play.
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Norwich had to secure the ball at the restart which they failed to do. From the ensuing scrum Cantabs kept possession and were rewarded with the winning score when winger David Bloxham raced over after some pretty indifferent Norwich tackling. The conversion was missed but at the end of the day it did not matter.
Norwich, who have now suffered three defeats on the trot, will need to regroup for the difficult trip to Sudbury on Saturday.
