Lincs Merit League
Kesteven 3rd 32
Cleethorpes 2nd 35
Kesteven were soon on the scoreboard when good play by fly-half Tom Price got a foothold in the Cleethorpes 22.
The pack worked their way to the line and when they were stopped, the ball was quickly fed out for Makwanna to use his strength and go over for the try.
From the restart, Price put a great kick in behind the Cleethorpes defence. He caught the full-back in possession and Des Friel was up in support to crash over and double the lead.
Cleethorpes were living on scraps but their stand-off was a useful player. He pounced on a dropped pass to hack through for a try at the posts. The conversion narrowed the gap to 10-7.
But Kesteven were soon on the scoresheet again as Makwanna got his second try and Tony Burton added a fourth with a superb break through. Price kicked the conversion.
Once again the Cleethorpes number 10 showed great individual play. He put a neat kick over the home defence, caught the ball and raced in at the posts to score. The conversion kept the visitors in touch.
Just before the break, another good piece of foward play was finished off by Miles, leaving Kesteven looking comfortable at 27-14 up.
Cleethorpes tightened up their defence in the second half and the home team found it harder to break through. Their number 10 continued his one-man show with another fine breakout which finished with a third try under the posts. The extra points were kicked.
Kesteven did get back upfield and forced another try through Friel, before Cleethorpes scored again to narrow the gap to 32-28.
This set up a furious final 10 minutes. First Jason Hall was crash tackled into touch, then Oakes nearly broke through. All the pressure came from Kesteven but it was Cleethorpes who had the last word. They won the ball from a scrum on their own line. The number 10 ran with it and beat two men. He found support outside and the wing beat off three tackles on a run to the line to score at the posts. The conversion sealed victory for the visitors.
Kesteven: Blackley, S. Smith, Burton, Makwanna, Roughan, Price, Oakes, Arnold, Bennett, T. Smith, Flowers, Miles, Friel, Cocks, Hardy-Gillings. Reps: Pride, Hall.