MATCH REPORT

MATCH REPORT
NEWARK 24 | 67 LICHFIELD
MEN’S 1st XV – REGIONAL 2 MIDLANDS NORTH (ROUND 17) SATURDAY 3RD FEBRUARY 2024
Lichfield produced a performance, which the players would have thoroughly enjoyed, and the coaches would have reflected favourably on it for all their months of preparations for days such as this. The game was not won, for sure, at half time, at which stage the visitors were 27-17 in front, but you can work out for yourselves how one sided the 2nd half became – especially after three converted tries (21 points) were scored in the opening nine minutes of this period. Newark were severely overrun, the flood gates were opened and they probably did well to restrict Lichfield to 67 points and ten tries. Especially in those opening nine minutes of the 2nd stanza, the tries looked too easy and the Newark defence on the poor side, it was, however, what had happened further up the pitch that created this illusion. The hosts could not cope with the pace and variety of the attacks they were dealing with.
Newark took the lead in the first minute with a penalty from fly half, George Leeson, for a ‘’not releasing’’ offence in the opening 15 seconds. For the next 15 minutes, Lichfield totally dictated the way the game progressed. Their line out worked so much better this week – there were hardly any scrums all game – and it provided them with a treasure trove of ongoing possession. Ditch Burton, Charlie Milner and Adam Spinner took it in turns to be the play maker and this continually opened up gaps. On thirteen minutes, Paul Maxwell-Keys tore the already stretched opposition midfield apart to score and five minutes later, Milner was over in similar circumstances. Spinner converted both of these tries.
Within a minute, Newark were right back in the game. From the kick off, the clearance kick was too loose and the Lichfield defence was too narrow, so the lively and gangly left wing, Ovi Gilder, was able to score under the posts. Moments later, they repeated an attack down the left with Gilder again dangerous, which resulted in a home penalty, then a drive from the resultant line out and a try for hooker, Jamie Vinters. Leeson converted both and it was 17-14 to the home side.
Normal service was soon resumed with Lichfield ruck ball being recycled quickly and with purpose. Five minutes before half time, the variety of their attacking produced a 3 to 1 overlap and Jack Fielding scored easily wide out and before half time Ollie Green added a further try after he had disrupted a Newark scrum in their ‘’22’. Spinner was able to extend the lead with a penalty right on 40 minutes.
Lichfield now had the use of the breeze and a slight slope, but it was their lines of running and the continual support, which became crucial. They invested a lot of energy into their afternoon and the reward was six second half tries. Within seconds of the half starting, the Newark defence was sucked in by a series of drives and eventually Burton was able to stroll over to the posts unopposed. More speedy attacks and switches of direction followed and Maxwell-Keys glided through the resultant holes in midfield for the next two tries. Spinner converted all these three, along with two later for a seventeen point individual haul.
Newark like to play a similar style of rugby to Lichfield’s and consequently managed to engineer a try for themselves, as they went wide left once more and full back, James Tarbutt, finished it off well once the ball was recycled back the other way, with Leeson adding the extras.
Lichfield were still comfortable at 48-24 and three more long distance tries were scored in the last twenty minutes. Firstly, Matt Cowley blasted over from a line out peel, but the situation was created by an attack originating deep in the Lichfield half. David Mott was next to cross the whitewash after the visitors ran back the kick off from try number eight and the final try was scored by Milner, as Rory Davis was stopped a metre (if that) short of scoring his opening try for the season.
All very pleasing from a myrtle green point of view and it very much resembled some of the best performances during the promotion season two years ago. That is not surprising with the personnel available last Saturday and with some continuity of selection in key positions since Christmas. This progress will be tested in the next game, away to Long Eaton on 17 February, by which time they may well have made their way back to the top of the league. They entertain Newark – lucky them – this coming weekend, as they catch up on a previously postponed fixture. Lichfield’s county cup game at Leek has had to be rearranged again and we now visit them on 24 February, the city side therefore has a week off. Kick offs remain at 2.15pm until March.
The men’s 1st team now know their journey in the Papa John’s cup in April. Starting on 13 April, they have home ties against Long Eaton and Northampton Old Scouts and are away to Stow on the Wolds in the middle week. All three opponents are having successful league campaigns so far.

A depleted Third 3rd Team travelled to Walsall and defeated their counterparts by 28 points to 22 aided and welcomed by Walsall’s prop sharing scheme.

The women’s Red team made it to the national Papa John’s Intermediate cup semi finals on Sunday along with Liverpool St Helens (LSH), Cullompton and Old Albanians 2s. Their home quarter final finished with a 29-19 defeat of Cheltenham 2s, which therefore opens up an enticing opportunity to do a league and cup double this (150th) season. Their next cup tie is on 24 March away against LSH and on Friday this week (7.45pm) they oppose Sutton Coldfield in round 9 of the league, with a chance to go 13 points clear with three games to go. Meanwhile, the Green team (2s) are in an ideal position currently to win their league as well and they visit Burton on Sunday at 2.00pm.
The girls’ 16 group overcame Burton in the cup last weekend by 57-7, however, the men’s colts lost at home to a strong (always) Luctonians outfit by 20-31 in the league. The boys’ 16 group, who are due to play Walsall in the semi final of the county cup this coming Sunday, continued their good form with a comfortable defeat of Willenhall 45 to 12.
Report c/o Dave Lewis

WEEKEND RESULTS
SATURDAY 3RD FEBRUARY
LICHFIELD 1XV | NEWARK 1XV 24 | 67 LICHFIELD 1XV (ROUND 17)
LICHFIELD 3XV | WALSALL 3XV 22 | 28 LICHFIELD 3XV
SUNDAY 4TH FEBRUARY
LADIES 1XV | LICHFIELD LADIES 1XV 29 | 19 CHELTENHEM TIGERS 2NDS
COLTS | LICHFIELD 20 | 31 LUCTONIANS U18
UNDER 13 BOYS | LICHFIELD 10 | 15 BURTON
UNDER 14 BOYS | STAFFORD 10 | 38 LICHFIELD
UNDER 15 BOYS | SUTTON 14 | 33 LICHFIELD
UNDER 16 BOYS | WILLENHALL 12 | 45 LICHFIELD
U16 GIRLS | LICHFIELD 57 | 07 BURTON
U12 GIRLS | LICHFIELD (W) V STOKE

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