ROUND UP
LICHFIELD 47 NEWPORT 54 PTS
REGIONAL 1 MIDLANDS – ROUND 5
Some very pleasant weather, a vibrant and vociferous crowd and 101 points scored from fifteen tries all contributed to the entertainment at Cooke Fields on Saturday and everyone went home having enjoyed themselves – even though it was a second successive home defeat for Lichfield. Having said that, top of the table Newport showed their capabilities for long periods aided by some hefty forwards and a collection of nippy backs, with Benny Elliott at full back using his kicking skills to maximum effect.
The visitors started at a gallop and had four tries on the board within seventeen minutes, at which stage there were fears of it becoming embarrassing. Lichfield, however, are much better equipped to deal with these onslaughts this season and gradually fought back from healthy leads built up by Newport in both halves.
When Ditch Burton crossed the try line in minute 78, to which Kai Lucas-Dumolo added a sixth conversion, Lichfield had narrowed the lead to seven points and earned themselves a second bonus point. They strove to get a draw, unsuccessfully, but managed to ensure they did not lose that second deserved and hard earned bonus point, having coming from a 35-54 deficit with twelve to go.
Newport’s opening score came after only 90 seconds from the rapid Billy Dinning on the left against some flimsy defence, to which Elliott added the extra two – he was only to miss one from eight (plus a penalty hook). Lichfield responded well and were able to work Ben Bourne over from close range to equalise. Hooker, Michael Adams, was at the back of a successful maul and Charlie Pugh was next over for Newport, before Dinning again crossed rather too easily out wide left (26-7).
In the next quarter, Lichfield scored three tries to Newport’s one. A simple, yet effective, penalty move gave Paul Maxwell-Keys a run in from five metres, although this was cancelled out by Charlie Gamble’s right to left effort when his electric pace and nimble feet made his task seem effortless. Burton at the back of a driven line out maul and Chad Southam, spotting the smallest of gaps ten metres out, brought ‘’Lich’’ back to 28-33 at the break.
Elliott, surprisingly, missed a penalty at the start of the 2nd half, however, Dinning was soon over in the clubhouse corner using his pace to gather a bouncing ball to reach the 40 point mark. Maxwell-Keys found a huge hole in the Newport midfield defence to keep Lichfield in the hunt.
Rory Davis was yellow carded for a high tackle in the corner and the subsequent penalty kick to that corner, line out and front peel gave Adams his second. Newport’s last try – their eighth – came from a scrum five metres from their own line and the move ended with Dinning getting a fourth with a very smart finish.
Nineteen points in arrears did not phase the Lichfield side, which had been energised by all three subs – Chris Bennett, Jack Hamlet and Kieran Higgins. The latter cleverly outfoxed
Dinning to score out wide and give the home side momentum again and a lot of hard graft went into Burton’s second try and his side’s seventh.
Lichfield lie 8th with thirteen points from five games.
THE PLOUGH AT HUDDLESFORD PLAYER OF THE MATCH – BEN BOURNE
Team: Day , Lucas-Dumolo, Maxwell-Keys, Milner, Moseley, Southam, Seb Smith, Dace, Reynolds, Davis, Field, Key, Ben Bourne, Hitchen, Burton Reps: Higgins, Hamlet & Bennett
Scorers – Tries: Maxwell-Keys (2), Burton (2), Bourne, Southam, Higgins Convs: Lucas-Dumolo (6)
Lichfield ‘s next league match is on Saturday 18 October away to Nuneaton at 3pm
LICHFIELD 2s 85 BURTON 17 PTS
COUNTIES 3 MIDLANDS WEST (NORTH) – ROUND 4
Lichfield started slowly, evidenced by a couple of kick off errors, and their ill discipline also hindered their early progress. Consequently, Burton received easy penalties and, from one of them, they kicked to the corner and drove the subsequent line out over the whitewash.
The home side’s response was quick and effective with the backs handling at pace to put Reiss Tew over in the corner. Indiscipline returned, hampering any thoughts of domination by the Myrtle Greens and their defence switched off allowing the Burton 8 to sneak over from a ruck to give Burton a 12-5 lead.
Thankfully, the team leaders managed to kick start Lichfield thereafter and Cal Hagyard was in the right place to score try number 2, converted by Rhys Davies. A break in midfield was again well supported and Harrison Stratford scored with Neil Antcliffe adding the extras. Half time arrived with the score at 31-12 to Lichfield following further tries by Davies and Harry McDonough, playing hooker this week.
The traffic was becoming more and more one way with Burton also starting to tire. The tries came in rapid succession – with one gallant effort from the visitors – and the score was soon past fifty. Davies took his personal tally to 3, Adem Akroum and Mike Davis were next on the score sheet. The final try tally rose to thirteen thanks to efforts from Harvey Cutler, McDonough, Mike Turner and Angus Buckland; the conversions totalled ten. Davies (2), McDonough and Antcliffe (7) shared the duties – 5 points earned to go to 3rd in the table.
This week, the 2s are away at top of the table side, Eccleshall at 3pm
LICHFIELD WOMEN 1st XV (RED) 27 WEST PARK LEEDS 12 PTS
CHAMPIONSHIP 1 NORTH – ROUND 4
There was a much better buzz about the Lichfield Red team on Sunday at Cooke Fields and this allowed them to lead 27-0 before the hour mark against a plucky WP Leeds outfit. The
latter’s determination allowed them to gradually dominate the second half without ever looking like tearing into the Lichfield lead.
Lichfield had notched up four tries (and a bonus point) by the break through being just a little sharper all round than WP Leeds, whose forwards worked hard, but found the Lichfield ‘D’ sound and effective. The tries came from Grace Patterson, Molly Draycott and the hard working, Grace Collins (2), only one of which was converted by Draycott.
As soon as the bench started to come on, there was a gradual shift in the game’s momentum towards the visitors. This did not stop Lichfield getting the ball out wide to the speedy Alyssa Thor to round the full back to complete the points for the hosts. That was just about the last time they reached the ‘22’’ in the match.
On the hour, the Leeds forwards at last managed to drive over the line, only just, and they had the lion’s share of the ball for the last quarter. The Lichfield defence coped well enough until the last minute when the forwards squeezed their way for their second try.
The Red team have a week off and the Green side are at Birmingham Moseley on Saturday, KO 5pm.
STOURBRIDGE 10 LICHFIELD COLTS 22 PTS
LEAGUE ROUND 4
Head coach, James Hitchen, described this win and, more importantly, the performance as the best this season. Playing on a 4G surface and against a strong home outfit, Lichfield weathered everything that was thrown at them and their defence was once again a key part of their success story. After four rounds of the league, three away, the colts remain unbeaten.
Lichfield colts’ next challenge this Sunday in the National colts cup will be Burton (away), KO 3pm.
JUNIORS:-
The boys 15s continued their promising start to the 25/6 season with a 50-0 cup win against Stafford at home on a murky Sunday morning. Stafford’s forwards kept the score to 7-0 for most of the first period until Lichfield started to stretch them wide and then the tries came more regularly. The next cup challenge will be Burton at home on 9 November.
The 14s lost at Barkers Butts (32-26) and the 13s lost to a well drilled Stratford team by 7 tries to 2.
The girls U16s defeated Lutterworth late on to win 28-26, whilst the 14s won 43-0 against Fosse Falcons. The 18s had a day off to do car washing etc at the club to raise much needed funds.
All of the minis teams headed off to the very well run Old Silhillians tournament and learnt a lot about rugby and how to play in a tournament.

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Lichfield Rugby Union Football Club, Cooke Fields, Lichfield, Staffordshire WS14 9JE