Burntwood RUFC withstood a determined fightback by Willenhall to record their seventh league win on the trot to move up to 4th in the table.
Just after the hour mark the hosts were 20-3 ahead but the rest of the game belonged to the visitors. They pounded the home defence to get back to 20-15 but seemed to have run out of time to clinch a win, their last score coming in the 77th minute. However, the referee found 16 minutes of overtime to leave Burntwood hanging on by the end.
Ben Holt’s side had begun the contest the better of the two teams but the nearest they came to scoring was a chip and chase by Aza Dunet which saw the ball run dead.
It was the visitors who went ahead with a penalty goal from 30 metres after 17 minutes. The lead only lasted two minutes as Will Peach replied in kind from 25 metres almost direct from the restart.
Two minutes later and the Willenhall kicker had the chance to restore the lead but this time he sent the ball right of the target with his penalty attempt.
The pattern of the first half was Burntwood being put under pressure in the set scrums but Peach was finding some excellent distance with his kicks to touch to keep the Willenhall pack at bay.
It was from one kick deep into the visitors’ 22 that Burntwood went ahead after 34 minutes. Graham Shelley stole line out possession to feed the backs. Good bursts by the impressive Hal Gozukucuk and Holt put the Willenhall defence on the back foot which allowed Peach to put Brett Taylor away unopposed for a fine try.
Peach added the conversion and then right on half time, he kicked an easy penalty goal from infront of the posts for a lead of 13-3 at the break.
Willenhall tested the home defence early in the second period but Burntwood were able to win turnover possession and turn the tide to mount their own pressure close to the hour mark.
A sustained attack saw the visitors conceding penalties. Dave Ward and Ian Jones both drove close to the line. There was no score but the visitors’ No 8 was sin binned. Two close range scrums saw Ward unluckily denied from the first but Jones made no mistake from the second, managing to squeeze over under the posts to make Peach’s conversion a formality.
A mistake at the restart allowed Willenhall to camp in the home 22. Solid defence kept them out to begin with but when the hosts conceded a penalty it was tapped quickly for an unconverted try with ten minutes of normal time left.
Another error from the restart provided good field position for the visitors again. A hasty kick out of defence was run back for a try in the right corner. An excellent touchline conversion added to home concerns.
If Burntwood hoped to run the clock down they were not helped by the match official. The prolonged period of overtime was spent entirely in the home half, much of it deep in the 22, but scrambling defence saw Burntwood eventually complete the league double over Willenhall this season.
This Saturday Burntwood continue their league campaign with a tough trip to Eccleshall who sit one place above them in the table. The 2nds host Stafford 2nds and the 3rds are due to play away to Stafford Veterans. On Sunday the colts, having won their league already, hope to complete their league season undefeated when they welcome Eccleshall.
