Sat 14 Feb 2026
Bridgnorth RFC 31–24 Lichfield RUFC
After a three-year absence brought about by differing league paths, Bridgnorth RFC and Lichfield RUFC renewed acquaintances in a contest that ebbed, flowed and ultimately exploded into late drama at the Edgar Davies Ground. Vice-presidents and patrons were treated to fine hospitality beforehand, President Jim Graham welcoming both sets of supporters, but there was little serenity once the action began.
Indeed, the afternoon opened with an unusual delay as the referee paused to ensure his whistle was functioning correctly before Bridgnorth kicked towards the clubhouse — a rare false start to what would become a breathless encounter.
Bridgnorth began nervously, handling errors stalling early momentum.
Lichfield were quick to capitalise, earning a breakdown penalty for holding on and nudging ahead 0–3. The response, however, hinted at the attacking sharpness that has become a feature of Bridgnorth’s season.
George Jackson won a crucial jackal penalty to settle home nerves, and from there, the players cut loose. Jacob Tomkinson’s incisive break split the defensive line before he delivered a long, confident pass to Adam Ellis, who scorched down the outside channel for a superbly taken try. Elliot Murphy’s conversion edged the hosts in front.
Parity at the set-piece and a ferocious breakdown battle followed.
Lichfield struck next, kicking to a 20-metre lineout and rumbling forward through their pack before their fly-half identified a sliver of space to cross for a converted try and restore the advantage. Twice Bridgnorth kicked penalties into the 22 looking to maul, only to be denied by technical infringements, but the pressure was mounting.
After Lichfield were penalised at the breakdown for not supporting their bodyweight, Bridgnorth returned to the corner. This time the drive held firm. With penalty advantage in hand, Patrick Smallman surged powerfully, fending off a tackler to score. Murphy added the extras for a 14–10 lead. The half retained its intensity, and Luke Brough saw yellow for a deliberate knock-on as Lichfield pressed, but stout defence and a timely penalty allowed Bridgnorth to reach the interval ahead.
The second half began as scrappily as the first. Lichfield’s restart went straight out, but Bridgnorth’s subsequent penalty failed to find touch, and invited a counter. The visitors worked patiently to the line, their heavy pack executing a series of pick-and-go drives to force over for a converted score and reclaim the lead. The introduction of Reece Boughton and Charley Wright shifted the energy.
Boughton’s composure and Wright’s dynamism injected tempo, and from a seven-metre lineout Loti Molitika emerged with the ball after a coordinated drive to touch down. The bonus-point try soon followed in style. Wright’s searing break fractured the defence, Brough linked cleverly, and Jack Cole finished with composure in the right-hand corner after “standing up” his opposite man. At 24–17, Bridgnorth appeared to have seized control — and the valuable fourth try.
Yet this contest was far from settled. A late tackle saw Malaki Stuffins sent to the bin, and moments later Tomkinson followed after further infringement. Down to 13 men — and then forced into uncontested scrums, sacrificing another player — Bridgnorth were stretched to their limits. Lichfield, with a numerical advantage, opted for the scrum and duly powered over for a converted try to level at 24–24. Further pressure mounted through penalties and attacking lineouts, but Bridgnorth’s defensive resolve — a recurring trait this season — held firm. They survived the sin-bin period with discipline and composure, Brough and Cole again prominent in relieving pressure.
Back at full strength, Bridgnorth pushed for the winner. A promising attack was cynically halted by a deliberate knock-on, earning Lichfield a yellow card. The siege began: five-metre lineouts, reset scrums, repeat penalties. Lichfield’s resistance was admirable and organised. With time almost expired and the scores locked, Bridgnorth launched one final assault down the right. As the pass was flung wide with numbers outside, a Lichfield hand again intervened illegally.
This time the referee had no hesitation: penalty try awarded. The final whistle followed almost immediately. Relief and delight rippled around the ground. Bridgnorth 31 - Lichfield 24.
Full credit belonged to Lichfield, whose three-try effort secured a losing bonus point and underlined why they remain such difficult opponents. But for Bridgnorth, this was another example of a side that refuses to fold — even when reduced to 12 men and forced into uncontested scrums. The victory lifts Bridgnorth to 50 league points, a significant milestone in a season defined by grit as much as flair.
Yet the wider picture ensures there is no room for comfort. Both Banbury and Lutterworth — the two sides immediately below — claimed victories on Valentine’s Day, keeping the battle to avoid ninth place fiercely alive. Fittingly, those two clubs are next on the fixture list.
If this contest proved anything, it is that Bridgnorth possess both the attacking spark and defensive steel to navigate the run-in. What remains to be seen is whether they can deliver it without quite so many heart-stopping moments for the coaching staff — and supporters alike.
