Burntwood opened their new season with a bonus point win at home to Telford Hornets.
They were behind for most of the contest, but scored 12 points in a storming finish to get their campaign off to the best possible start.
Winger Ed Turton’s game ended after just two minutes when he suffered a leg injury and had to be replaced by Jack Robinson-Parr – but four minutes later the hosts went ahead. A penalty kick to the corner set up a catch and drive with Luke Rookyard and Hal Gozukucuk creating the opening for prop Tom Shorrock to score in the corner.
Shorrock was then instrumental in denying Telford’s first threatening attack with a penalty turnover for not releasing. However, the subsequent line out was lost leading to a penalty which the Hornets’ kicker converted for their first points.
Burntwood responded with a good backs’ move following a line out but Robinson-Parr was held up five metres out before the visitors took the lead on 22 minutes. Attacking from a set scrum 25 metres out, they moved the ball out right and the winger cut inside for a converted try.
A team warning for repeated infringements led to a yellow card for Billy Fisher on 25 minutes. While he was off the pitch, a pick-and-go from a scrum by Gozukucuk provided a penalty opportunity for Brett Taylor and he duly obliged to reduce the deficit to two points.
However, it was back to a seven point gap before Fisher’s return. A deep clearance kick was returned by a Telford forward on the charge. A retreating home defence couldn’t prevent a try in the clubhouse corner.
But back came Josh Canning’s side courtesy of a penalty award at the restart. It was kicked to the corner and after Jack Johnson went close from the catch and drive, it was Shorrock on hand again to drive over to leave the score 13-15 at the break.
Telford went further ahead six minutes into the second period when they benefited from a catch and drive effort in the left corner for what turned out to be their last score of the afternoon.
Last season’s top try scorer Luke Rookyard opened his account for this season on 52 minutes when he picked up a loose ball and dived over following pressure in the left corner to make it 18-20. His brother Owen made a long-awaited return to action when he came off the bench to replace Josh Shepherd after 58 minutes.
The Telford outside half made a fine break just on the hour mark but, crucially for the hosts, he lost possession in the last tackle and the danger was cleared.
With ten minutes of normal time left, Kian Carter fielded a Telford kick at full back to set up a sweeping attack which was halted illegally five metres out. It cost the offender a yellow card and then seven points as Rookyard went over for his second try from a tapped penalty. Josh Massey, making his senior debut for Burntwood, landed the conversion to put his side 25-20 ahead.
The hosts took advantage of a tiring and depleted opposition in the time remaining to seal the result with the best try of the game on 75 minutes. They disrupted a Telford scrum 30 metres out to win possession. Swift passing out left was finished off by Massey in the clubhouse corner for the fifth try.
The home side saw out six minutes of added time although a last fling by Telford into the Burntwood half almost provided them with a losing bonus point, but it ended in an infringement against to herald the final kick to touch.
Burntwood 2nds know how Telford felt as they led for much of the game at St Leonards before running out of steam to lose their first match in Counties 4 Midlands West (North) 26-10.
They dominated the first half to lead 10-5 with tries from Sam Hull and Mackenzie Johnson and kept their advantage until the 75th minute when their resistance was broken as the hosts ran in three tries.
Stand out performers for Burntwood were Josh Squire, Tye O’Connor and Kye Brindley.
In a club game away at Walsall prior to the start of their league season, Burntwood Clts gave a good account of themselves for much of the contest, but the hosts fielded a bigger squad which helped on a hot afternoon to win 33-20.
This Saturday (9th September) Burntwood 1sts are away to Newcastle (Staffs) while the 2nds welcome Linley to the CCE Sportsway for a 3pm kick off.
