Burntwood 19 - Pershore 10
Feb
The only consolation in this defeat for Pershore, was that it happened
in a not so important cup match, rather than a league fixture. This was
a below par performance from Pershore, with the scrummage under pressure
throughout the match. With first phase possession not gauranteed,
Pershores big ball carriers, in particular Martin Hope at 8, did not
have any decent ball to attack from the base of the scrum. Pershores
cause was not helped when influential prop Alex Peel left the field
injured after 15 minutes. However, Burntwood were a far more committed,
and determined outfit on the day, and deserved their win. The first
quarter of the game was all Burntwood, mounting a series of attacks on
the Pershore line, but for all their efforts they only kicked one
penalty. The rest of the first half was a battle for forward supremacy,
with flowing rugby scarce , from both sides. After the break, Pershore
came back into the game, and started winning some ball, in particular
from the ever reliable Toby Grace, in the lineout. But as is so common
of late, a lot of this hard won possession was kicked away. In fact a
turning point in the game could have happened when Pershore had a four
man overlap, straight running, and simple passing, would have resulted
in a try, however the inside centre chose to kick the ball away, and the
opportunity was gone. This was Pershores last real chance of turning the
game around, and Burntwood seized the initiative. Three further
penalties were kicked from their reliable goal kicker, and then from a
loose lineout ball, on Pershores try line, the Burntwood openside
swooped on the ball , gathered and crashed over, and the conversion was
good. With the clock running down, for once Pershore managed to transfer
the ball along the backs, and with a bit of space, Matt Harwood touched
down, Dolphin converting. Pershore return to league duty next Saturday
with a visit to table topping Dunlop.
