Victory snatched away in the final seconds.

With a few training sessions behind us since 12th December, coach Thomas was chomping at the bit to renew our recent rivalry with Derby Vets know we would be facing a stern challenge. Early encounters were even with the forwards matching Derby. A missed Derby penalty and a try saving tackle in the corner by Ben McGill kept the game even until blind side move from a scrum had Tom Packer feeding Ian Taylor who broke the gain line to made good yards and recycle. The forwards through Lee Stokoe drove on to commit the defence and quick hands to the opposite wing had Tom Spibey going over in the corner. Successful conversion from Tom Packer 0 -7. All the forwards were playing heroically and again drove forward allowing Tom Packer to kick over and push play deep into the Derby 22. Ben McGill won the ensuing lineout and the backs get to within 10m. Dan Bartram starting at hooker for the 1st time was having a good game and from a winning scrum the backs took the ball one way then the other; Chris Garrod reset the ball once stopped and got the move going again and with a stretched defence, Paul Foster sold a dummy to stretch the lead. Tom Packer added the conversion to take a 14 point lead. As half time approached, a few decisions went against Bingham with Derby slotting a penalty to make it 3 – 14 at half time.

Early in the 2nd half, Bingham lost Tom King to what we found out later to be a double finger dislocation and Jonathan Thomas came on to cover full back. Derby pressure came on from a line out a drive led to a try 8 – 14. A succession of penalties throughout the 2nd half almost all seemingly going to Derby kept pressure on Bingham. Derby picked up from the base of a scrum to bring the game to 1 point with 20 minutes to go. Some excellent defence from all with Kieran Gagg & Ed Ranns keeping the Derby back row quiet. Both Jim Cooper & Ben McGill won some excellent line out ball and the backs marshalled by Mike Challans & Chris Garrod kept the Derby backs at bay who continued to kick for position. With 2 minutes to play a strong scrum on the Bingham line after the Derby Full back had fashioned a break kept Bingham in front only then to concede a penalty in the last minute and Derby grabbed a last ditch win.

A hard and tough lesson to swallow losing out to one of the league leaders but a great performance and one which should give us every confidence against any of the teams in the pennant.