First XV

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Yardley & District 1st XV : 18 pts

Bridgnorth 1st XV : 41 pts.

North Midlands RFU Vase.

At Cole Hall Lane Ground Stetchford on Saturday 4th September 2010

Bridgnorth’s young side won a hard fought Cup match on Saturday against a full strength Yardley side in fine, dry conditions. Bridgnorth were without several regular 1st XV players and even recruited Chairman of Selectors Simon Pennington at full back, along with several new players. Jimmy Morris made a creditable debut on the left wing, and former Highley star Ashley Bithell came in at prop forward with Sam Woodhall and Will Stirk also joining up with the hastily re-organised pack.

Bridgnorth also welcomed back the popular prop Cliff Thomlinson from Kidderminster Carolians.

Yardley started this match with a well taken try against the run of play from their left winger, who was released for a free run to the line, after a clever blind side move. The try was then converted easily by the Yardley full back.

Their reliable kicker was again on hand a few minutes later to increase the lead to 10-0 in the home side’s favour after a simple transgression from the visitors virtually in front of the own posts.

The Bridgnorth pack, although seeming outgunned to start with, was looking extremely well organised, and did manage to retain the ball quite well. When play eventually did get up into the home sides 22 yard line, Martin Jones took a great line out ball, and the entire pack drove compactly, and impressively for the line. The experienced Ken Milkins touched down for a great pushover try.

The referee, however, had spotted some illegal activity from the home side, and he immediately awarded a penalty try, which fly half Markevics easily converted from in front of the posts.

As the game progressed, the hard working Bridgnorth back row of Woodhall. Arnell and Jones began to disrupt a lot of Yardley’s possession, and soon after No 8 Jones put scrum half Gareth Bladen brilliantly away for a 20 metre dash for another great try in the corner to put Bridnorth’s noses ahead in the game.

Bridgnorth then increased the lead even further with a cool penalty from Markevics after the home side were again caught offside in a ruck.

Bridgnorth did then get involved in some needless indiscipline, and as a result conceded a penalty to give the home side a lifeline on the stroke of halftime to make the score at the interval of 15-13 in Bridgnorth’s favour.

The second half started with Bridgnorth playing some really good, tight, and controlled rugby after coach Richard Wood’s half time team talk, and were soon rewarded by a super pushover try from the impressive debutant Ashley Bithell. Danny Markevics converted easily down the slope to ease Bridgnorth even further in front.

Any fightback from Yardley was stopped in mid flow by some really good tackling from the visitors back row, and centres Markevics and Harding, who both had fine matches.

The backline now has two centres who can actually pass the ball correctly, with a great deal of skill, and the following two Bridgnorth tries came as a direct result of this important feature of Bridgnorth’s play.

Firstly Craig Thomas was put clean through by some mesmeric inter-passing behind the scrum to score a good try at pace under the posts. This score was converted easily again by Markevics, before his brother Paul, timed a sublime pass to fellow centre Harding who outpaced the home defence to score a cracking try in the corner.

Bridgnorth then suffered an injury to prop Bithell, who was replaced by Rob Rawlings but trhe visitors then had Liam Holland and Ken Milkins sin binned for ten minutes as Yardley struggled to get back into the game.

Although this resulted in Yardley squeezing another try onto their tally, but then Bridgnorth managed to score a super individual try from improving fly half Markevics who somehow scrambled his way over for a great try from all of 22 metres out., which he converted himself.

For his tireless work, potential, and all round effort in this game, openside flanker Ryan Arnell was narrowly voted as Tanners Man of the Match for this match.

Bridgnorth are at Stourbridge Lions next week for their opening match in what could be an interesting, but tough league programme for the 2010-11 season.

Geoffrey Davies