MARKET Rasen and Louth Rugby Club opened their 15-aside campaign with a trial match against Sleaford on Saturday, taking a squad of 30 players to impress selectors ahead of this Saturday's 3pm kick off in the EDF Vase, at home against Northamptonshire's Long Buckby.

With a huge gap left by try-scoring machine Ollie Cole's departure to higher league rugby at Newark and the absence of other regular first team props, it was left to veteran players John Hayes and John Curry along with recent convert Steve Mannion to shore up the Rasen front-row, all performing admirably.

Rasen opened the scoring in the first quarter with a well worked try from back-row Sam "Peanut" Routledge following good work by Andy Neesham and full-back Peter Everton creating the space for the score.

Although both sides were prone to errors there were many positives from the interplay of the back division and a determined performance by an understrength pack. Young Chris Everton battled well whilst playing out of position and winger Chris Green injected great pace on the fringes.

Sleaford scored on the half hour, levelling the match at 7-7. Undeterred and following changes in personnel Rasen fought back with many of the younger players putting in good accounts, which cannot have gone unnoticed by coaches Green and Kirkby.

It was another young talent, Michael Starling who bagged the next points with a break round the outside enabling Nick Johns to convert for a second time.

Sleaford levelled following a probing kick which bounced ideally for the attacking side, leaving fullback Everton and winger Lee Horton able only to watch in dismay as the home side ran through the defence to score.

In the second half the home-side upped their game scoring two unconverted tries. Rasen remained in contention until the very end after a further unconverted try by scrum-half Andy Neesham, but couldn't breach a solid defence again.
Captain Dean Hutchinson was upbeat after the trial following an impressive display by the younger players and solid performances from the more experienced members of the squad against opponents a league above Rasen.

Healthy competition in many positions should ensure players perform to their optimum in an attempt to retain their positions during the new season.