Cardiff University 25-22 Nottingham University
A drop goal from Harrison James with the last kick of the game secured a dramatic win for Cardiff University against Nottingham at Llanrhymney.
Cardiff seemed to have thrown away a ten-point lead as Nottingham scored two late unconverted tries- both conversions hitting the post, before man of the match James dropped into the pocket from a Cardiff lineout, kicked for goal, to send the home side players and fans into delirium.
It was a pulsating end to a match dominated by strong defence and errors from both teams in attack. The opening quarter of an hour was uneventful, with both teams making numerous knock-ons, and failing to make any attacking headway.
Enter Harrison James. After 15 minutes, James made a line-break, gathered his own grubber kick before releasing outside centre Archer who went, close. Recycled ball found its way to James, whose cross-field kick was superbly caught by Cardiff 14 Thomas who crossed in the right-hand corner. James converted to make 7-0.
Nottingham second row forward Curry was then yellow carded for foul play. From the penalty, James kicked to the corner, the line-out was won by the home side with Ramsey powering over. Again, James added the extra two points; Cardiff deserved of their 14-point lead.
Not for the first time this season the home side conceded shortly before half time; the Cardiff defence failing to gather a Nottingham box kick, the away side’s backline taking advantage of the broken play to send left winger Walker into the corner. 14-5 at the break.
Both defences again dominated the start of the second half, before Nottingham finally broke the Cardiff line, Sebouai crossing for a converted try.
James then slotted a 62-minute penalty following a Nottingham infringement, before Archer crossed in the corner following good work from replacement scrum-half George McDonald.
The Cardiff faithful could be forgiven for thinking that was that, a ten-point lead with ten minutes to play. However, the away side had other ideas, dominating the final minutes, crossing the line twice, before James came to the rescue for Cardiff with the final kick of the game.
James said, “It was sort of my fault that they scored the last try, so I had to make up for it to be honest!”
Head coach Chris Davies said, “they (Nottingham) had a dramatic try at the end, but to be able to go back up the field, and to get into a position to win the game with the Harrison drop-goal was special, it was a bit of magic that we needed”.
Next up for Cardiff, they travel to Leeds Trinity in game week 14.
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