From the Archives - East Midlands Derby 1998
That punch!
By From the Archives
November 27 2002
In our first visit this week to the East Midlands Derby archive its back to March 1998 at Welford Road. It was the usual blood and thunder game with little skill but the Saints almost pulled it off, but not quite.........
Larry Steals It In The Late, Late Show
Tigers 15 Saints 15
Saturday March 7th 1998
Welford Road
The Saints had won this game, then lost it, then came back for the draw all within the space of the last two minutes.
In an ill tempered encounter that often broke out inacts of violence there was little of note till
the dramatic last few minutes.
Leicester had Martin Corry sent off for a punch half way through the first, the first player to do so for Leicester for fifteen years.
The game started with a bang with Martin Johnson throwing the first punch only seconds into the game.
A minute later referee Ed Morrison had to talk to Garry Pagel and Darren Garforth after some scrumduggery.
Paul Grayson and Joel Stransky exchanged penalties
from their team mates indiscretions.
Hookers Chris Johnson and Richard Cockerill were then yellow carded by Morrison for a minor disagreement as tempers boiled both on and off the pitch.
Things came to head on 24 minutes when Corry exchanged blows with Jason Chandler. The touch judge intervened and Mr Morrison produced the red card.
From the resulting penalty Grayson kicked the Saints into a 6-3 lead.
The sending off had a rallying effect on the Tigers pack as they surged forward. From a line out on the Saints 22 the Leicester pack drove over with Neil Back getting the score .
Dean Richards is definately in charge !
It was just like the 'old', pre-Dwyer, Leicester.
The conversion was missed to leave the half time score 8-6 in the home sides favour.
The second half saw the Saints pinned down in their own half as they failed to capitalise on a string of penalties.
They continualy opting to tap and run instead of
going for touch and gaining ground with the lineout.
The ball eas often lost in the tackle or turned over. Ian Hunter finally broke out of his half with a 60 metre run that, but for an Austin Healey covering tackle, would have resulted in a try.
The action returned to the other end of the pitch and with the try line beckoning Stransky knocked on after fine build up work from the rampant Tigers.
The Saints moved back into the lead on seventy minutes when Grayson kicked his third penalty. His fourthcame two minutes from the end of the game and at 12-8 up and the clock ticking away the Saints looked home and dry.
Leicester had other thoughts and surged forward
finally sending Craig Joiner over in the corner as the clock read 81 minutes played.
Stransky kicked the difficult conversion and the Tigers fans began to celebrate a stolen victory.
It was now the Saints turn to fight back and from the restart they gained possesion and moved forward to set up the ruck, Grayson assumed the position 40 metres
out. With the home crowd still celebrating the 'win' Grayson calmly slotted the ball
between the uprights.
15-15.
Team
Ian Hunter
Jon Sleightholme
Andy Northey
Matt Allen
Harvey Thorneycroft
Paul Grayson
Matt Dawson
Garry Pagel
Chris Johnson
Martin Hynes
Jason Chandler
Jon Phillips
Don mcKinnon
Tim Rodber
Grant Seeley
Saints Scorers
Paul Grayson...................Penalty (4)
......................Drop Goal