Ross won a hard fought encounter last Saturday, retaining top spot in the league and with only three games remaining, automatic promotion is tantalisingly close. The visitors started strongly dominating territory in the opening ten minutes, but they could not find a way through the Ross defence.

After absorbing the initial pressure, they began to find good field position and from that took the lead after 15 minutes. After a series of rucks, Ben Element moved the ball left, a couple of quick well timed passes put winger, Craig Smith, in space and side stepped his opposite number before out pacing the cover defence to score.

Thai added the conversion and Ross were 7-0 ahead. With ball in hand, Ross were consistently getting over the gainline and from another incursion into the visitors twenty two they added their second score. This time it was number eight, Gavin Oates, who evaded the visitor defence to score wide out on the left. Thai once again added the two and Ross were 14-0 ahead. Both sides then exchanged penalties before Ross added another try.

Once again, with ball in hands, Ross made good ground setting up a ruck five metres out and Chris Price crashed over to score putting Ross 24-3 ahead and just before halftime, Smiths opened their try account to see them in at the break 24-10 down.

The late first half score seemed to energise the visitors, they dominated the third quarter as Ross made far too many errors and this resulted in a Smith try early in the final quarter pulling them back to 24-17 down with fifteen minutes left on the clock. However Ross not only held out but added a late Casey Morgan score to give Ross a bonus point 29-17 win. The Laser Warfare Ops man of the match was Louis Morgan for a great shift in the front row and in defence.See this week’s paper for more stories like this, available in shops and as a Digital Edition now.