Burntwood 36 Moseley Oak 7
Midlands 3 West North
Burntwood returned to form after 2 disappointing performances recently.
They were inspired by outside half Matt Wood who rattled up 26 points
including a hat trick of tries.
There was only one try separating the teams approaching the hour mark.
However, play was confined to the Moseley Oak half and once Wood went in
for his 2nd try the visitors’ resistance was finally broken and the
hosts pulled away.
Graham
Shelley’s men had gone ahead in the 5th minute of the match when referee
Paul Daniels awarded a penalty try for Moseley pulling down a scrum as
Burntwood went for a pushover. Wood converted.
The visitors hit back and were unfortunate not to score 7 minutes later.
They worked an overlap on their left wing but the scoring pass missed
its target and flew into touch.
It needed a good steal by Lloyd Shelley to take play up to halfway.
The hosts were pinned in their own half, battling against spirited
opponents and the elements up to the half hour mark. The pressure
finally told when a kick was charged down 30 metres out and an Oak
player was first to the touch down over the line. A fine touchline
conversion brought the scores level.
However, the deadlock only lasted for 4 minutes courtesy of Wood’s first
try – a splendid individual effort. He chipped through on halfway,
collected on the run and sped to the line.
Ollie Whitehouse almost got away for a try following a break into the
Moseley 22 but the half ended with Burntwood defending deep in their own
22. They managed to keep the visitors out to leave the half time score
at 12-7.
Matt Sishton tested the visitors’ defence early in the second half but
despite camping in the Moseley half, it took nearly 20 minutes to gain
reward.
Mark Partridge’s strong run set up a maul on the 22 infront of the
posts. Wood received possession on the right but cut back to the left to
slice through to the corner. He then added the conversion for good
measure.
With play approaching the last 10 minutes of normal time, Moseley Oak
were still pinned in their own half. When they tried to run the ball
out, they infringed and Wood punished them with a kick which went in off
a post.
Three minutes later after a good set up by the forwards, Wood completed
his hat trick with another arcing run to the line. His conversion made
it 29-7.
Appropriately, the outside half had the last kick of the game 7 minutes
into time added on. He converted a try by Lloyd Shelley after brother
Graham had controlled a scrum close to the visitors’ line and almost got
over himself. When held up, Lloyd was there to wrestle his way over.
Burntwood Development XV had a late change of fixture when Linley cried
off. Their task became much stiffer when Old Saltleians 2nds were fished
out of the fixture pool. The young lads gave a good account of
themselves and they were unfortunate to be edged out 15-7 at The
Sportsway.
A much-changed line-up was further disrupted after just 2 minutes when
Danny Hackett was forced off the field with an injury. However, the two
sides proved to be evenly-matched and half time was reached with the
scores tied at 7 all.
Old Salts had led with a quickly taken tapped penalty inside the home 22
which saw their scrum half squeeze over the line for a converted try.
Burntwood levelled direct from the restart. John Bromwich and John Haire,
both playing out of position at flank forward, combined to charge a kick
down and Haire it was who pounced on the loose ball to score. Chris
Edwards converted.
In the second half Old Salts went ahead with a penalty goal but the
decisive try came from an interception, a winger proving uncatchable
from halfway.
Burntwood had chances to win but some scoring passes missed their man
and when they stuck, the visitors’ defence, desperate at times, managed
to keep the hosts out.
Anthony Cadman, another man playing out of position at full back,
impressed in his unfamiliar role whilst Chris Preston was the pick of
the forwards.
On Sunday morning Burntwood U16s were in action after a 2 week lay off
and the rest seemed to have done them good. They overwhelmed Warley 76-7
at The Sportsway in a performance full of running rugby and support
play.
There were first half tries for Sam Wright, Joshua Read, Sam Power (2),
Jordon Wood (2) and Tom Hall (2). Power added 5 conversions and 2
penalties. Warley scored their converted try just before half time.
Burntwood made full use of their replacements for the second period and
it took them a while to adjust but once they did more tries came from
skipper Wood (2), Josh Hall and Power again.
Power and Luke Rookyard were joint men of the match.
Burntwood U14s travelled up to Leek and returned with a share of the
spoils at 17-17, a fair result after an evenly-contested game.
It has become their routine recently to take the lead inside the first 5
minutes and they did so again here. Good team play ended with Rory
Newhall taking the ball over for an unconverted try.
This only served to inspire the home side who hit back with 2 tries and
a conversion to lead 12-5.
Ben Tranter’s agility and turn of speed caught out the home defence to
produce Burntwood’s second try. Newhall’s conversion brought the scores
level.
Close to half time Leek edged ahead again with their 3rd try.
Play was very even in the second half but importantly for Burntwood, the
only score went to them, a second try for Tranter.
Despite big efforts by both sides to score a winner, the deadlock
remained unbroken.
This Saturday Burntwood are involved in Midland Division Senior Vase
action with a 3rd Round trip to Old Leamingtonians – kick off 2 pm. The
Development squad host Aldridge and the Veterans welcome Walsall.
On Sunday morning the U17s host Yardley and District and the U15s are
away to Eccleshall.
