AS far as the scoreline is concerned, Nottingham came close to shrugging off their slow-starter tag as they opened their Championship campaign against London Welsh at Meadow Lane.

But in fact, while they defended very well for so much of the second half, it was merely a case of delaying the inevitable as the visitors finally won 27-21, with Gordon Ross's conversion of a second try from winger Josh Drauniniu.

Now fully professional, London Welsh are making a determined push for the Premiership,

To that end, they have recruited strongly and on this evidence are sure to be among the promotion contenders at the end of the season.

And so Nottingham can take great credit for not only staying in contention against one of the strongest sides in the division, but actually leading for much of the second half.

Conditions were hardly conducive to either team's expansive aspirations yet this was an exciting game, the lead changing hands regularly throughout the first half.

With first use of a strong wind, Welsh took an early lead when Jack Cobden was caught in possession and driven over his own line. Nottingham were penalised at the resulting scrum and the visitors found a big gap down the right to send in Liam Gibson.

The Green and Whites were straight back in it from the re-start though, forcing a penalty for outside half James Arlidge to make it 3-5.

A second kick from Arlidge put them in front but Welsh regained their lead midway through the first half with Drauniniu's first effort.

Again though, Nottingham were straight back to win a third penalty for Arlidge following a break through the middle from Tim Usasz.

Arlidge and Ross exchanged kicks before the Nottingham man-of-the-match gave his side a 15-13 lead at the break with his fifth penalty.

Nottingham came under severe pressure in the closing minutes of the first half but defended stubbornly to preserve their two-point advantage.

Although a sixth straight penalty from Arlidge gave them a five-point lead, it was still the visitors who continued to dominate, despite now playing into the wind.

The Green and Whites defended bravely, although their discipline almost let them down when an attacking scrum from Welsh was moved forward.

The try Welsh had threatened for so long finally came 12 minutes from time. Centre Simon Whatling found a gap close to the posts, giving Ross a straightforward conversion to regain the lead.

But again Nottingham showed their character with a strong drive down the middle to win another penalty for Arlidge to put them back in front.

Drauniniu stretched over the line to get his second try five minutes from time, with Ross adding his most difficult kick of the game to seal it.

Nottingham: Sempery, Savage, Cobden, Forsyth, Jackson, Arlidge, Usasz, Fowkes, Youngs, Prescott, Kench, Raven, Hammond, Armes, Shaw. Replacements: Barnham, Marshall, Barnard, Farrell, Conquest, French, Baird.

Nottingham (15) 21. Pens: Arlidge 7. London Welsh (13) 27. Tries: Gibson, Drauniniu 2, Whatling. Cons: Ross 2. Pens: Ross. Att: 1,022.

Other scores

Bedford (20) 51. Tries: Harding, Dodge 3, Richmond, Taylor, Pritchard 2. Cons: Pritchard 4. Pens: Pritchard. Plymouth Albion (3) 3. Pens: Lee. Att: 2,853

Worcester (20) 48. Tries: Abbott, Garvey, Higgit, Arscott, Lutui, Penalty. Cons: Carlisle 4, Goode 2. Pens: Carlisle 2. Birmingham & Solihull (3) 3. Pens: Hunt. Att: 6,543.

Bristol (18) 24. Tries: Little, Merriman. Cons: Little. Pens: Little 4. Rotherham Titans (10) 26. Tries: Sandford, Dickinson. Cons: Socino 2. Pens: Socino 4. Att: 4,063

Cornish Pirates (20) 30. Tries: Burgess, Cattle, Paver, Bentley. Cons: Cook 2. Pens: Cook 2. Doncaster (0) 14. Tries: Williams 2. Cons: Roberts 2. Att: 2,232