Handsworth 7 Burntwood 25
Midlands 4 West North

Burntwood bounced back from two recent defeats with a fine display away to Handsworth. They scored 3 tries to retain 3rd place in the table although the number of line breaks they made during the game should have produced more 5 pointers.
With skipper Graham Shelley and tight head prop Mark Poole restored to the pack the Burntwood forwards dominated possession particularly in the set scrums. They were also able to call on powerful No. 8 Craig Goodall in the second half who was returning to action from a broken collarbone.
The hosts had the first chance of points direct from the kick off when the visitors were penalised but the kickable goal attempt was wide left.
The Burntwood pack took the first of Handsworth’s scrums after 7 minutes to launch scrum half Ollie Whitehouse on a break into the home 22. His side remained there for 20 minutes without reward.
The siege was broken by a long kick down the slope which Sam Wanty fielded but was caught to give Handsworth a 5 metre scrum. However, indiscipline cost them the position and Craig Seedhouse cleared the danger.
Another break by Whitehouse set up winger Jon Pucci but he didn’t get the better of a one on one situation with the full back and the match remained scoreless after 30 minutes.
Six minutes later Mark Partridge was sin binned but Burntwood were still the better side during his absence. A good attack up the slope with Matt Sishton prominent led to a penalty. Skipper Shelley tapped to himself and set up a ruck from which Seedhouse kicked a sharply taken drop goal.
Burntwood had some defending to do in their own 22 before the break but the hosts infringed again and Seedhouse cleared. Then with the last kick of the half Seedhouse doubled the lead when Handsworth were caught offside.
Burntwood were quickly on the attack downhill after the restart. Just 2 minutes in Seedhouse broke but his pass went to ground and Handsworth cleared to touch. However, from the throw-in the visitors neatly executed a move to send prop forward Rob Cartwright on a charge to the posts for the first try of the afternoon. Seedhouse converted.
Soon after, Handsworth lost a lock forward to the sin bin and within a minute Burntwood went further ahead. A sweeping attack took play into the home 22. They took a home scrum and excellent passing down the backs especially the last one from Ian Jones to Sam Wanty presented the latter with a try in the corner. Seedhouse added a fine conversion.
At this moment Goodall came off the sideline to replace Graham Shelley and he was quickly involved in the action. But with 51 minutes gone Hansworth moved the ball well from a scrum to their left winger. His kick back across field was touched down by a centre and the conversion made it 20-7.
A good attack by the hosts, inspired by their No. 10, ended in a forward pass and then Jones set off on a mazy run from 22 to 22 which gave Seedhouse a penalty chance but he pulled his kick left.
After 10 minutes’ defending, Burntwood finally broke out to camp in the home half for the last 10 minutes. Whitehouse and Lloyd Shelley combined to take play to the 5 metre line but support players infringed. Then John Haire’s pass back inside to Sishton almost created a try for Goodall but he was stopped just short.
Burntwood’s reward finally came with seconds remaining. Scrum possession was moved out to Sean Beaman, a replacement for Pucci, and he squeezed over in the corner.
 

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With Cannock playing a rearranged league game, the Development XV hosted Burton 2nds. The forwards were fairly evenly matched but once the ball reached the Burton backs they combined superbly to take their side to a 50-7 win.
Most of the damage was done in the first half as the visitors put together a series of moves to overrun the home defence.
In the second period it was 2 tries to one, Burntwood’s coming from a penalty try. After several phases of play, scrum half Anthony Cadman was impeded trying to take a quick tap penalty and the referee went behind the posts.
Amrit Derry impressed in the line out and the Burntwood scrum benefited from the inclusion of Mark Thomas and Rich England.

The Veterans travelled the short distance to face Lichfield who proved the better team although the 29-10 winning margin flattered them.
The try tally was 5-2 with Lichfield scoring 2 to begin with before Matt Cummins wriggled out of a tackle in the home 22 to touch down to make it 12-5 at half time.
Two more home tries took Lichfield clear then Mark Bourne dummied his way through off the back of a ruck to score in the corner. Lichfield sealed their win with a late try.
The home side deserved their win for their better organisation, particularly in the loose play, although Dave Tyler, Mark Fisher and Cummins worked hard in the forwards and Anthony Sutton and Simon Ptolomey had good games in the backs.

A colts side largely made up of U17s battled well against Wolverhampton but were outclassed and went down 34-0.
After a one-sided first half the lads showed good spirit to concede only one try in the second period. They almost had one of their own but Danny Hackett’s effort was disallowed for incorrect grounding.

On Sunday morning the U15s travelled to face Uttoxeter U15/16s and shared 38 points after a bruising encounter in which both sides made full use of their replacements.
Burntwood enjoyed the first period, playing some great open rugby which should have brought more reward but for final passes going astray. From good set piece possession Liam Degville opened the scoring with a try converted by Sam Power.
Then Brad Berrow ripped the ball from a maul and powered over for Luke Rookyard to convert.
Uttoxeter hit back with some effective counter rucking for their No. 8 to score 2 tries, one converted, to leave the half time score 14-12.
Burntwood used all 7 replacements for the second half and the new line up took a while to settle. During this period Uttoxeter went ahead with an interception try which was converted.
The Burntwood forwards clawed their way back into the game enabling Dominic Angelakis to power over to bring the scores level. The conversion attempt was wide so a good game finished all square.

Burntwood U14s lost 34-7 at Sutton Coldfield, a margin which does not reflect the effort they put in to the game.
They had opened the scoring with a try by Troi Coleman, converted by Matthew Geldard-Williams but as the game progressed their heads dropped as a succession of decisions went against them.
Man of the match went to Ryan Percox.

With a number of key players missing, a skeleton squad of just 15 (and a rather nervous coach) the U13's travelled over to Uttoxeter for this Sundays match.
Uttoxeter had a good win the previous weekend and we were ready to face a confident side.
From the kick off Burntwood jelled well. Luke James moved from his normal second row position to play a solid game at loosehead, Mathew Ford fully enjoyed a runout at No. 8, while usual scrumhalves Dylan Webber and Liam Smith spent a half each out on the right wing.
Virtually from the kickoff it became clear that Burntwood were the stronger side and scores came in a steady succession during both halves of the match.
Either side of the break Burntwood's concentration lapsed to allow Uttoxeter in for 2 tries, but otherwise this was very convincing win for our U13's.
The try scorers were: Jamie Sedgwick (2), Rory Newhall, Liam Smith (3), Mathew Ford, Liam Baker & Rhys Thomas.
Rory Newhall converted three of the tries.
Final score:- Uttoxeter 10 - Burntwood 51

This Saturday Burntwood face Leek with the 1sts and 3rds at The Sportsway and the 2nds away. The 1st team game counts as both a league and Staffs Cup game, the cup game having been twice postponed due to bad weather. The colts welcome Stafford for a league game.
On Sunday morning the U15s and U13s both host Coalville whilst the U12s travel in the opposite direction.