Sleightholme and Mitchell score twice as Wanderers win at Wasps

Ollie Sleightholme and Alex Mitchell both scored twice as the Wanderers beat Wasps 38-36 at Broadstreet RFC on Sunday afternoon.
Alex Mitchell scored twice for the Wanderers (picture: Kirsty Edmonds)Alex Mitchell scored twice for the Wanderers (picture: Kirsty Edmonds)
Alex Mitchell scored twice for the Wanderers (picture: Kirsty Edmonds)

Api Ratuniyarawa was also on the scoresheet for the Saints second string, who picked up their third bonus-point win in as many Premiership Rugby Shield matches.

The Wanderers got off to a slick start as the ball found Ratuniyarawa and the towering lock did not need asking twice from close range.

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James Grayson’s conversion took the score to 7-0 and the Wanderers wasted no time in claiming their second try.

Quick thinking from Grayson in the midfield released Andrew Kellaway, who was making his comeback from a injury, and the Australian ace sent Sleightholme over.

An impressive solo effort from Gabriel Lovobalavu got the hosts' scoring started, but the Wanderers were straight back on the attack.

And after a maul got them close, scrum-half Mitchell sniped over from close range for their third score of the afternoon.

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But Wasps responded and after a period of pressure got them within the Wanderers’ 22, the forwards barrelled over, with Gabriel Oghre emerging from the pile of bodies with the ball.

The Wanderers kept coming though,and they wrapped up the bonus point on the half-hour mark as Kellaway found Mitchell, who claimed his second try of the afternoon.

Wasps came straight back at the double reigning champions, and a looping run from Marcus Watson saw the wing over in the corner for the home side’s third.

A Grayson penalty put the Wanderers 31-19 up at the turnaround, but the hosts mounted a response after the break.

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An unbelievable show of pace from Ben Christie saw the home tighthead prop race in from 30 metres out to earn his side’s fourth score.

But after a driving maul got the Wanderers close, replacement scrum-half Charlie Davies darted around the corner to feed Sleightholme out wide for his second.

Watson scooted over for his second to make it a one-score game, and Jacob Umaga cut the gap to just two points with a penalty.

But the Wanderers held on to claim yet another win, ending their year on a high.

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Wanderers: Furbank; Sleightholme (Tupai), Hutchinson, Strachan, Kellaway (Worley 40); Grayson, Mitchell (Davies 40); Davis (Trinder), Ma'asi (Newman), Painter (Ford-Robinson 40); Moon, Ratuniyarawa (Coles 40); Onojaife, Ryan (Wallace), Eadie.