Burntwood 1stXV 10 Northampton Old Scouts 15

Burntwood turned in their best performance of the season so far but it wasn’t quite good enough against their higher league opponents. An intense 20 minute spell right up to the final whistle saw the hosts camped in the Old Scouts’ 22 but they couldn’t find the killer blow to progress in the competition.

It had looked to be a cakewalk for the visitors as they raced into a 12 point lead after just 10 minutes. Burntwood had the edge in the scrummages but N’ton were lively in the open although their early passes weren’t sticking.

When they finally clicked their right winger skipped over in the right corner for the first try after 8 minutes. Two minutes later an excellent drive in the forwards and good hands in the backs saw the full back score in the opposite corner. A fine conversion was added.

Skipper Graham Shelley inspired his side with a break from a midfield scrum which led to a penalty near the visitors’ 10 metre line. Craig Seedhouse’s fine kick got Burntwood off the mark and heralded a better spell with play now in the visitors’ half.

Their best attack featured a break by Rob England near half way. He found Matt Bray but the final pass just eluded Sam Wanty on the right wing.

By the half hour mark Burntwood had warmed to their task and what had seemed a hopeless cause after 10 minutes was now a proper contest especially when winger James Langford intercepted and went in from 30 metres under the posts for a gift try converted by Seedhouse.

The score served to invigorate the Old Scouts who tested the home defence for the next 10 minutes but they were up to the task and worked their way into the visitors’ 22 by the half time whistle.

Dave Tyler replaced Andy Benton during the break to keep the Burntwood scrum on top. A thumping tackle by Bray in midfield turned the ball over and the attack ended with a penalty for Burntwood to take the lead but Seedhouse was just wide from the 10 metre line.

Tyler was keen to impress but when he was through too early on the scrum half he conceded a penalty which was goaled for what proved to be the last points of the afternoon on 56 minutes.

The last 10 minutes of normal time and 10  minutes of added time belonged to Burntwood. They had scrum after scrum and penalty after penalty from 20 metres out to 5 metres. The Northampton side did everything to protect their line, some of it rather unpleasant. The Warwickshire referee must have been close to awarding a penalty try but he only resorted to sin binning the outside half in the closing moments.

At the final whistle N’ton O.S. were through but only by the skin of their teeth. Burntwood were disappointed but can take heart from the way they rose to the occasion. They now need to take this form into their league season starting at Veseyans this Saturday.

Burntwood were due to field 3 sides for the first time this season, the 2nds and 3rds both against Rugeley, but with their firsts in cup action it was just the second strings who met at The Sportsway. The home side won 22-3 after a match of contrasting halves.

Burntwood were totally dominant in the first period scoring 22 unanswered points through tries by Paul Rogers (2), S.Handy and Antony Morgan. The latter also kicked a conversion.