LICHFIELD moved within three points of league leaders Dronfield with an impressive performance against local rivals Walsall.
There was an intensity about the early play from the Myrtle Greens as they tested the resolve of the visitors.
Playing a high tempo game with quick second phase ball, Lichfield pressed their opponent’s line. Despite their superiority, it seemed at first that this could be one of those afternoons as a dropped ball and a disallowed try prevented them from opening the scoring in the opening ten minutes.
But the hosts were not to be denied and continued to dominate possession. On 15 minutes, after probing the defence, a gap opened on the 22 which the impressive Rhys Davies exploited, gliding through and accelerating away to score under the posts. Josh Butler added the extras.
Lichfield continued to force the pace as Walsall conceded a penalty that created an attacking lineout inside the 22. It led to close quarter drives to the line and a deft pass freeing Freddie Wilson to drive over close to the posts from five metres out. Butler converted.
The first scrum was on 22 minutes, indicative of the open nature of the game as both sides worked hard to play an expansive game.
Walsall came more into the encounter as the half progressed and they checked the home side’s momentum with two successful penalties, while a yellow card for Paul Maxwell-Keys on 39 minutes didn’t help the home side either.
Lichfield went into the break 14-6 ahead and started the second half on the front foot as Ditch Burton picked up from the base of the scrum sparking several driving phases which ended with tighthead Rory Davis rampaging over from ten metres. Butler maintained his success rate to add the extra two points.
Despite still being a man down, the hosts increased their lead with probably the try of the match. Working the blindside cleverly, right wing Kieran Higgins found space and evaded several defenders before slipping a pass to the supporting Kieran Reynolds, who went over under the posts for the all important bonus point score. Butler added the extras.
The home side were in control of the game at 28-6 with Maxwell-Keys now back on the field, and they stretched the advantage further on 57 minutes when an attacking scrum saw Burton break from the back of the scrum and winger Jake McKenzie burst through before being held just short of the posts – but scrum half Sam Benson was in support to dive over. Butler converted.
Walsall had gone into the game on the back of five straight victories but were being thwarted by the home defence. But the pressure told on 72 minutes when a quick tap and go penalty saw them force their way over for an unconverted try.
But Lichfield hit back inside three minutes when an attempted clearance was charged down and captain Kieran Reynolds was on hand to gather the loose ball and crash over to score his second try of the match. Josh Butler kicked the extras for a 42-11 lead.
However, Walsall had the last word with a minute to go when Aled John was yellow carded. From the resulting scrum, the visitors engineered a gap for a converted try.