Burntwood RUFC extended their winning run to five games with a bonus point victory away to Bloxwich.
It is never an easy place to win but Ben Holt’s side played with ambition resulting in five tries, all scored by the back division.
A clear win looked unlikely after the first half hour of the contest. Bloxwich, playing down the slope in the first period, immediately tested the visitors’ defence via a series of pick and go’s to take play to the five metre line. Eventually they knocked the ball on and were then penalised at the ensuing scrum, allowing Will Peach to clear.
Burntwood gradually worked their way into home territory and Peach put his side three points up with a penalty goal from in front of the posts after 13 minutes.
The hosts hit back and took the lead just two minutes later. A strong scrummage allowed a burst down the short side for a try in the corner.
Peach had the chance to re-take the lead after 20 minutes but his long range penalty attempt drifted right of the target. However, nine minutes later his own jinking run drew the hosts offside and this time he drilled his kick over for 6-5.
Direct from the restart kick Graham Shelley and Dave Ward drove the ball back before releasing Peach, Holt and Ben Tranter on a promising attack, which reflected the confidence born of a winning run.
Their first try followed in the 34th minute. Line out possession was moved right for Luke Rookyard and Hal Gozukucuk to make strong runs. When the ball came back left Peach beat an opponent to score close to the posts to make his conversion a formality.
A Bloxwich penalty attempt direct from the restart went wide left and then they lost their No. 8 to a yellow card which meant that Burntwood would have an extra player advantage plus playing down the slope as the second half began.
They made the advantage tell as they ran in two tries before the No. 8 returned. The first followed good ground made by Shelley and Gozukucuk. When the backs saw the ball, a delayed pass from Peach to Holt allowed the skipper to put Charlie Liggins in for the score, the winger just managing to squeeze over in the right corner.
The next was initiated by a deft offload from Shelley to Gozukucuk on 47 minutes. The Turkish international was away but with one man to beat he slipped as he tried to round him. However, the ball was recycled and good handling put Holt in for 23-5.
With Bloxwich back to their full complement they tested the visitors via a couple of close range scrums. They fumbled at the back of the second opportunity which allowed Liggins to clear to halfway.
Burntwood were trying to play running rugby out of their own half but their adventure also caused infringements which kept the home side in good field position.
They reduced the deficit on 72 minutes when a kick was fumbled and the home number seven collected to race away to the right corner for a try.
This seemed to inspire the visitors who hit back with a determined attack from the kick off. They moved the ball at pace right, left and then right again before Holt hit the line to dart clean through to the posts for the bonus point try. Peach added the extras.
Then in the last minute of normal time, Josh Canning found Brett Taylor direct from a line out. He set off on a darting run, beating three defenders for a superb individual try in the bottom corner to round off the scoring.
Burntwood hope to continue their winning run when they play their Midlands Senior Vase Quarter Final tie away to Woodrush this Saturday. It will not be easy as the hosts sit at the top of Midlands 3 West North having lost only twice this season. The game kicks off at 2.15pm. At stake is a home semi-final against Melton Mowbray.
On Sunday the colts travel to Cooke Fields to face Lichfield in the Staffs Colts Cup competition. The winners meet Burton in the semi-final.
