Sat 30 Sep 2023
Bridgnorth welcomed Burton to the Edgar Davies Ground and their travelling support joined a good turnout in the marquee for the Ladies Day Luncheon. Elvis was in the building to entertain the diners.
After an away win the previous week, Bridgnorth were looking to re-establish their home form against their Staffordshire rivals. The home side received the kick off and a good exit by full-back Matt Needham moved them up the pitch. Burton attacked from the lineout and Bridgnorth were penalised for a high tackle, the away side opted for a kick at goal but the ball was pushed wide. Burton returned the twenty-two-dropout kick and the home side were again penalised, this time the away side opted for the touch kick for a five-metre lineout. Bridgnorth defended the lineout well and were awarded the scrum put-in, there then followed a long injury break for treatment to home prop George Newman but he was able to continue the game with another scrum.
Burton sustained their attacking play and this combined with successive penalties against Bridgnorth (for collapsing a maul and then not rolling away) meant the away side scored the game’s first try. Their full-back scored wide out after missed tackles on the home side’s right wing, (the conversion was missed.)
Both sides then enjoyed good phases of play, Bridgnorth getting their forward momentum going and combining this with good defence. The home side fell foul of the referee again however, when flanker Adam Ellis was sent to the sin-bin for a deliberate knock-on after an obvious slap forward of the ball. Bridgnorth were looking to see-out the ten minutes, they continued to defend the driving mauls of the away side and earned their own penalty. A good lineout looked to set up a scoring opportunity for Bridgnorth but the ball was intercepted in the middle of the field and the Burton number seven showed very good speed endurance to run the length of the field for a converted try.
The home side needed a spark to ignite their play and this came in the familiar form of hooker Luis Evitt who went over for an unconverted try after the home side had an attacking lineout from a penalty touch kick. The home side were unable to build on this score as from the restart a pass to Needham left him stretching for the ball and he then lost his footing attempting to retrieve the situation. The home side were penalised for holding on and Burton gratefully took the three points on offer as the game approached half-time.
Bridgnorth finished the game on the attack, they took the ball on well from a scrum but were again penalised at the breakdown as the away side put pressure on the ball. They had a ‘second bite at the cherry’ when it appeared to be half time as the away side were penalised for foul play. Bridgnorth went forward but were again penalised at the breakdown as the away side looked to turn the ball over. The score at half-time was 5-15 but Burton had a man in the sin-bin.
The second half started with scrappy play from both sides with knock-ons and missed touches. Then Bridgnorth put together their best attack of the game, and the away side had to resort to several high tackles before they re-gathered possession after a pass went to ground. Evitt then won a very good turnover penalty and the home side took the three-point penalty. Bridgnorth continued to play an improved game but knocked on the ball in the centres. The pacy Burton scrum-half made a good break from the scrum but his kick ahead was well returned by Needham. Bridgnorth won another penalty and a great strike from Murphy gained them another three points and brought the home side right back into the game.
Burton remained calm under pressure and their lineout operated very effectively for the whole game. In contrast the home team were continually hindered by conceding penalties at the breakdown as the away side applied turnover pressure. The home side defence held firm however and they had the next attacking opportunity as they touch kicked for a twenty-two-metre lineout, a strong drive moved forward towards the Bridgnorth home support but the referee awarded the scrum to the away side as the maul collapsed with several Burton players at the bottom of the breakdown.
Bridgnorth continued to raise their game and the home side put their bench onto the pitch. Two quick tap penalties were taken as the home side drove forwards, cheered on by the home support. Another knock on in the middle of the park looked to have thwarted the home side but the away side were penalised for another high tackle. The ball was kicked to the corner and as the ball came to the backs, fly-half Murphy broke through the defensive line and scored the try with an immediate reach and placement of the ball. The conversion was missed but the home side took the lead for the first time in the game. With the score 16-15.
The home side then committed the cardinal sin of not cleanly gathering the restart and they were penalised for off-side. The Burton kicker took the three points to re-establish their lead. The home side didn’t let their heads drop and when the away side themselves knocked on at the restart, Bridgnorth attacked from the scrum. The home side went forwards but conceded another turnover penalty. With the game approaching full-time the home side looked to have their last chance of victory from another scrum. The ball came to Murphy but this time he chose to attempt a drop-goal. The ball was charged down by Burton and their scrum-half gathered the ball and raced away to score a converted try under the posts, the final whistle blew with the score 16-25.
The home side must be commended for their ‘never say die’ approach but there was a feeling of deflation around the ground as Bridgnorth lost again at home and this time without a losing bonus point. Bridgnorth must address their faults at the breakdown if they are to progress in the league, the players must commit to supporting the ball carrier and the players arriving at the breakdown have to secure the ball. Bridgnorth have a break next week before two very challenging fixtures against the league’s top two sides - away to Stourbridge and then home to Oxford Harlequins with the vice-presidents’ lunch.
Match Photos by Dave Cooper - CLICK HERE
Match Photos by Robert Nicholls - CLICK HERE
