Gavin Roberts keeps his cool to rescue a win for Caldy

Nov 30 2011 by Our Correspondent, Birkenhead News

A LAST-GASP penalty from Gavin Roberts got Caldy out of jail to secure a stuttering win for the home side after they had conceded 10 points within the last 10 minutes.

The first half was fairly dour with both sides cancelling each other out and mistakes being the order of the half. Harrogate held the upper hand at half time after they took their chances.

On 24 minutes, Harrogate fly half Callum Irvine opened the scoring with a penalty kick after Caldy strayed offside.

On 33 minutes, Harrogate stretched their lead to eight when winger Mike Aspinall capitalised on a Caldy error to sneak in at the corner and leave the half time score 0-8.

The game livened up in the second half with both sides having chances and tight head prop Derek Salisbury used all of his strength and power to force his way over on 42 minutes after an excellent driving maul by the home side.

Ben Geatches scored his first try for Caldy shirt when he skipped in under the posts and Roberts converted.

Salisbury scored another try from a rolling maul out wide to turn the game on its head, and it looked like Caldy would take control.

A red card for Adam Aigbokhae was followed by a penalty kick for Irvine and straight from the kick off Harrogate ran the length of the field to score under the posts and Harrogate led by 19-21.

Caldy retained possession for a number of plays before referee Liddell awarded a kick some 35 metres out which Gavin Roberts coolly slotted through the uprights for the win.