Sat 13 Jan 2024
Bridgnorth travelled to their Staffordshire rivals with both sides not having played for three weeks. The ‘official’ travelling Bridgnorth party joined in the ex-players lunch at Burton and received excellent hospitality from their hosts at the impressive Battlestead Croft ground and clubhouse. With captain Jonah Boyce missing through injury and several players missing or returning, the Bridgnorth side had a changed look to it. The match also marked the 200th appearance for Will Biddell for the Bridgnorth first team, congratulations to him on this achievement.
The match started well for Bridgnorth with wing Luke Brough reclaiming the ball from the kick off and giving the away side forward momentum. Flanker Cal Bradbury and centre James Barham carried the ball on well and the referee awarded the attacking side a penalty. The attempt by fly-half Matt Needham unfortunately rebounded off the post back into play, but full-back Jack Cole returned the ball well. After stealing the home side’s lineout, Bridgnorth took play wide and Cole dummied his way through and passed to Brough who crossed for the opening try converted by Needham.
Hooker Luis Evitt collected the restart well for Bridgnorth but the clearing kick from Needham was charged down and the Burton player gathered the ball and scored a converted try. The Burton attacking play continued as their second row made a break downfield, he passed to his wing who was fortunately tackled into touch by the away side. The home side’s impressive attacking play continued as the Bridgnorth clearance failed to find touch, the ball was spread wide to the other wing and the home side’s scrum-half supported inside to receive the ball and score a converted try under the posts.
The away side responded and kicked a penalty for a ten-metre lineout; however, the ball was thrown to the tail and was not straight. Two penalties against Bridgnorth followed and Burton had a thirty-metre lineout, the away side managed to win the ball but then a late tackle on Needham meant the fly-half had to receive lengthy treatment. Will Biddell took over the kicking duties and kicked an impressive forty-metre penalty with his first strike to make the score 14-10.
Needham then had to leave the field through his injury and Cole went to scrum-half and Gareth Bladen to fly-half, these changes also included the welcome return of Jordan Burgess onto the wing. Burton continued to press forward and when Bradbury was well offside in defence, the home side kicked for a fifteen-metre lineout. The ball was well stolen by Evitt from the driving maul and he kicked forward out of defence, Burton ran the ball back however and their outside centre and vice-captain gave the inside pass for the ever-present scrum-half to cross for another try.
Bridgnorth put together a better period of possession from the restart and after winning two penalties, Biddell kicked another three points. The away side then regained possession from a Burton knock-on but substitute Ben Morris failed to hold a very difficult pass and the home side attacked again. A missed tackle on the Burton winger allowed him to race downfield and the inside pass to the scrum-half gave him his hat-trick try and the home side’s try bonus point in the first half. (The Burton scrum-half Chaz Bunting giving a masterclass in support play.)
Bridgnorth did not let their heads drop and they kept fighting for the remainder of the first period. Bladen made an excellent break towards the line and the move was only halted by an illegal knock-on from a Burton player who was sent to the sin-bin. The half ended with Biddell kicking another penalty to make the half-time score 26-16.
The away side started the second half well and Burgess made a good break and he passed inside to Barham who made a strong run towards the posts, he was tackled just short of the line and made an immediate move to place the ball over the line however the referee judged it as a double movement and penalised the away side. Bridgnorth continued to press and a high tackle on Evitt gave Biddell another three points.
Bridgnorth continued to work hard but some questionable options resulted in passes being forced or possession kicked away and subsequently the away side were not able to place the away side (who were defending very well) under significant pressure. Their cause was not helped by a misfiring lineout, but the scrum with Morris and Russ Gauden now propping remained secure.
Another penalty to Burton allowed them to kick three points and the home side, playing with confidence, scored another two converted tries in the final quarter. These scores were separated when they crossed the Bridgnorth line but good defence held the ball up for the drop-out kick. Bridgnorth stuck to their task and significant carries from Connor Nicholls, Joe Cave and the returning Loti Molitika meant the game did not turn into a one-sided affair. A murmuration of starlings in the late-afternoon light also entertained the supporters.
The game ended with the score 43-19. Bridgnorth with a changed side had come up against a Burton side who put in their season’s best performance under the floodlights. Bridgnorth now have two home games at the dried-out Edgar Davies Ground to re-establish their pre-Christmas momentum, a strong home support would be appreciated.
MATCH PHOTOS - Taken by Robert Nicholls on the BRFC Facebook Page: CLICK HERE!
