Spalding 17 - 20 Melbourne

MELBOURNE LEARN TO BATTLE PAST THE BIG BOYS

Spalding failed to make it five home matches without defeat seeing the "elephants" beat the likes of Stamford and Mansfield at home this season.

Melbourne chose to play into a strong wind first half and played very well in the first twenty minute period coping well to early injuries that saw Foster (head) and Burchell (leg) forced to withdraw.

Melbourne's defence was strong and coped well with the attacking threats of a beefy pack and speedy backline that Spalding possessed.

A host of penalties were awarded against the home team for entering the rucks off feet. Allowing the Green Army to take a 6 - 0 lead through Holden.

Melbourne continued to dominate and exert pressure. Were it not for a series of clinical errors in the first 20 minutes Melbourne could have been 20 points up. This was to test the Greens as Spalding began to come back into the game.

A bit of quick thinking by Spalding scrum half and a mistake led to Spalding taking an unlikely 12 - 6 lead at half-time, despite conceding two kickable penalties within the first 30 minutes of the match at Memorial Field.

SECOND HALF

The Elephants should have pressed home their advantage in the second half but Melbourne had turned a corner and shored up there standards.

Impressive breaks by Watts and Lowery as well as Stuart and Howard meant Spalding were often back pedaling.

Melbourne made finally made the pressure count when Big Will Judge earnt himself a brace of try in a fifteen minute spell. A controlled maul lead to the first and a second with a barnstorming run. Theo (Farell) De Vies also crossed the line with a superb angle picked on the outside shoulders only to see his grounding called as a knock on (Farell moment)!

Credit to Spalding as theh never gave in and with 90 seconds left Harry Sharman touched down for a second time with the last play of the game but by then, the deficit was too great to claw back.

However, the scoreline was put into sharp focus before the game kicked off when a minute’s silence was observed for Spalding RFC chairman Geof Nichols (72) who died on Friday morning. Our condolences and respect to his family and friends.