Match Reports

Bromsgrove 27 v 25 Longton 1st XV

Longton were left rueing a contraversial last-play-of-the-match charge down try for the hosts which resulted in a final score of 27-25pts.victory to home side Bromsgrove.
 

The visitors travelled with a much-changed back division, missing skipper, Chris Buck, scrum half, Dan Robson ( who had been withdrawn by the England U18's coach ), Ant Edwards and Paul Green but, nevertheless began brightly against a Bromsgrove side who had lost only two of their first nine games. After only one minute Scott Rawlings had a chance to give Longton the lead with a penalty from 28m. but his kick went wide of the left upright. Both sides showed their willingness to run the ball in a very open, keenly contested game being played in a good spirit.

The home side took the lead in the 13th, minute when a Longton forward lost possession in midfield allowing Bromsgrove to launch a fast and decisive counter attack, assisted by some weak tackling, something that is proving to be an Achilles heel in an ever-improving Longton team performance. The ball was moved quickly through several pairs of hands to send the home winger in at the corner for the opening try. The conversion attempt failed and Bromsgrove led by 5-0pts.

Five minutes later came a second score, again from a counter attack; this time a Longton clearance kick was gathered and the runner evaded the first two tackles before passing the ball out wide for another try in the corner. The conversion was missed making the score 10-0pts. At this point Longton lost big Cornishman, Fraser Kellythorne, who pulled a thigh muscle to be replaced by Fijian, Tom Smith.

Longton recovered from these early setbacks as the forwards began to exert some pressure on their opponents with some powerful driving mauls helped by some fine lineout ball from Rich Kelly and Rich Thompson and some thundering charges by hooker, Craig Wilson. From one such forward drive the pack marched the Bromsgrove eight over the try line where Joel Booth touched down for the try. Scott Rawlings excellent conversion made the score 10-7pts. after 24mins.

Longton though again proved their fallibility in defence when Bromsgrove went blind from a scrum just inside the Longton half. Simple drawing of a man and passing saw the right winger run in for the try in the corner. The missed conversion made the score after 33mins. 15-7pts. Then again, just before half time, a simple Bromsgrove attack from their backs resulted in a fourth try, this time successfully converted to make the score 22-7pts. However, Longton put themselves back into the contest with a well worked try from Scott Rawlings who received the ball wideout on the right wing and barged his way through two defenders to touch down in the corner. His own conversion failed to go through the uprights making the score at the half time break 22-12pts to Bromsgrove and Longton feeling they should have got more out of a half where they achieved more than parity of possession and territory.
 

The visitors came out for the second half determined to make amends for some sloppy defending and they soon put the home defence under pressure. The forwards produced some determined running led by prop, John Smith, and hooker, Craig Wilson. It was from one such drive that brought about the second try as the entire Longton eight drove hard for the line and Craig Wilson was the player to touch the ball down for a fine score. Scott Rawlings superb conversion kick from out wide made the score 22-19pts. and Longton were right back in the match.

The game was now being played almost entirely in the Bromsgrove half as Longton battered away at the home line. Replacement, Kieron Healey, came on and produced some barnstorming runs but the defence held out. Then, a score looked a certainty as Lee Brogan's beautifully judged crosskick was collected by right wing, Ulla Uvascu. The speedy Fijian sevens player raced for the corner and as the defending full back came across to cover, the winger passed the ball inside to full back, Grant Hallam, charging up at speed. Unfortunately the pass was a little low and Hallam nudged the ball forward as he stooped to collect and a certain try was missed. Longton continued to pound away inside the Bromsgrove "22" as the clock ticked on. Then, in the 34th. minute of the half Longton were awarded a penalty in front of the posts which Scott Rawlings slotted over to make the score 22-22pts.

Bromsgrove were now looking like a side accepting that they were going to be beaten as Longton again surged forward. At this point Bromsgrove, who had only been in the Longton half on one occasion throughout the entire second half, looked as if they might have a chance of snatching victory when they made their second incursion into visitors' territory, being awarded a penalty. However, the kick failed and Longton cleared their lines to resume attacking the Bromsgrove line. Then, in the 43rd. minute, after working the ball forward under the home posts, scrum half, Mark Brandon, fed it back to the waiting Scott Rawlings who sent it sailing through the posts, "Johnny Wilkinson-like" to put Longton deservedly in front by 25-22pts.

All Longton now had to do was to safely collect the ball from the kick off, hold on to it for a few seconds to run the clock down and then hoof it off the pitch. Gareth Rawlings caught the ball well and set it up for scrum half, Mark Brandon, to pass it back to fly half, Lee Brogan. However, two Bromsgrove forwards gambled on charging up, arguably from in front of the ruck, one of whom charged down the kick. His colleague, who was in front of him, then snapped up the ball from his offside position and plunged over for a try which the referee awarded. The conversion failed and the final whistle blew leaving Bromsgrove mightily relieved to collect the points and Longton feeling "as sick as the proverbial parrot" in losing a match that they deserved to win.

There were a great many positives to take from the game notably, the much-improved discipline which saw very few penalties conceded, the second half defensive display where they played a strong attacking defence, the power of the forwards in the driving mauls, and the increasing confidence in the backs moving the ball with width. This will all be tested next week when the powerful Hereford team visit Trentham Fields.
 

M. Wheat.