Mee makes his mark as Nottingham end on high

By ROB WILDMAN

Nottingham……28pts

Tries: Mee 26, Graham 32, Stapley 35, Cherry 43

Conversions: Arden 26, 32, 35, 43

Caldy ……………….. 8pts

Tries: Barker 18

Penalties: Gallagher 49

Nottingham finished on a high by sweeping aside Caldy thanks to three tries in 14 minutes before half-time in a match that was delayed by nearly an hour due to the lack of an ambulance.

Over 1,400 spectators – one of Nottingham’s biggest crowds of the season – waited patiently while the medical back up arrived.

The match eventually kicked off just before 8.45pm and was a personal triumph for outgoing Nottingham full-back Ellis Mee, the 6ft 4in student who will be joining Scarlets in the summer.

Mee, who scored a memorable try to kick start the victory in the 26th minute, gained the man-of-thematch award to go alongside his accolade for being club player of the year.

Nottingham boss Craig Hammond described Mee’s contribution over the campaign as “unbelievable.”

He added: “The match reflected our season – we did some amazing stuff but turned over too much ball. When we put it together we were really good.”

Six minutes before Mee raced clear himself, he cut down Caldy wing Will Robinson to stop a certain try after he had escaped from his own 22. Mee, 20, followed that up by darting through the defence for the first try and then helped make the second for wing Harry Graham.

Nottingham followed up Graham’s try by scoring a third from the restart in the 35th minute, centre Jack Stapley finishing off a rousing team attack.

Fly-half Matt Arden converted the three tries to put Nottingham 21-3 up at half-time, Caldy No.10 Lewis Barker having kicked a penalty in the 18th minute for an initial 3-0 lead.

The second half died a death after Nottingham posted a fourth try, this time through a forward drive led by flanker James Cherry, and Caldy replying through a score for hooker Matt Gallagher.

To round matters off, referee Andy Wigley yellow carded Caldy substitute No.9 Callum Ridgway for an offside offence and, finally, decided on red after Nottingham forward Isoefa Maloney-Fialoa was penalised for a dangerous, head-led, challenge.

Caldy boss Gareth Davies said: “We never gave up and that’s one of our big qualities, however we missed a few tackles.” He also confirmed that retiring scrum-half Chris Pilgrim is set to join the coaching team next season. “Chris has been a great a servant and a professional to have around. Hopefully, we will cajole him to stay and do some coaching.” Pilgrim, 38, returned to his home club after stints at Nottingham, Newcastle and Leeds following university at Loughborough.