Sandbach visited a packed Greens Norton Road on Saturday for a match that the Tows would have targeted as a must win in the season run in, with every point valuable to both sides as they looked to build some distance between the mid-table and the lower sides, but it was the visitors who completed a double over the Tows, winning both games with last minute tries.
Tows started incredibly slowly, gifting the visitors a fast 0 - 14 lead as they conceded two tries within the first 4 minutes, followed by a penalty from Sandbach and the Tows were faced with a 17 point hill to climb, the fight back started when Craig Holton went over for a try, converted by James Snook, but sloppy tackling allowed Sandbach's winger in for a converted try in reply, Snook again cut the deficit when he went over for a try and the half ended with Tows trailing 12 - 24
The second half started brightly for Tows with Snook again slotting a penalty and then Holton grabbed his second try of the match, intercepting after a Nicky Blackham smash tackle, Snook converting to bring the home side within two points of the Cheshire visitors, Tows crossed again, when a Marc Yeates kick was gathered by Matt Bodily to score a bonus point try and put Tows into the lead, 27 - 24, the conversion disallowed after consultation, Sandbach to their credit poured everything into the response, retaining possession for long periods and forcing Tows to concede penalties, when Tows did manage to regain possession it was given back all too cheaply with meaningless kicks ahead, eventually the defensive wall broke and after missing a kickable penalty to tie the game Sandbach ran a line out penalty for Ant Davies to cross and leave Tows deflated.
Tows 2nd XV reversed an early season drubbing beating Hereford 2nd XV from National League 2, 38 - 7
The Colts bowed out of the Oceanic cup after going down 24 - 5 at Olney
The sombre mood in the clubhouse after the game was lifted by the Towcestrians Ladies and WAGS who had run a charity day all day and raised an amazing amount of money for the Air Ambulance and Children with Cancer UK.