LICHFIELD secured a hard-earned bonus point victory as they came from behind to beat Nuneaton.
The Myrtle Greens didn’t get off to the best of starts as they went behind when the visitors took advantage of early positional changes due to an injury to Charlie Milner to go over for the opening try, which was unconverted.
Nuneaton continued to press after home wing Tyler Moseley was yellow carded for a deliberate knock on. They took advantage of this further disruption for another try. The conversion saw the city side on the wrong end of a 12-0 scoreline.
Lichfield raised their game, forcing errors in the tackle and gaining ascendancy in the scrum.
The hosts finally got on the scoreboard when quick thinking by Ditch Burton saw him pick up, punch through the last line of defence and canter over near to the posts. Henry Nevitt added the points to reduce the gap to five points.
Lichfield’s pack forced their opponents to retreat and concede a penalty try as the fight back.
Nuneaton’s loose head was given a yellow card and, with their hooker off injured, scrums went uncontested for a period.
Lichfield were unlucky when Michael Turner was held up in the act of scoring.
The visitors were proving to be dogged opponents as they regained the lead when a penalty made it 15-14.
The Myrtle Greens hit back when quick ball allowed Nevitt to sell a dummy and reach the try line before also adding the conversion.
Lichfield added to their score straight from the kick-off when they secured the ball, working it quickly left for Paul Maxwell-Keys to break the line, draw the defence and feed Tyler Moseley, who ran in from 30 metres. Nevitt added the points to extend the lead to 14 after 35 minutes.
There was still time for one more score before the break. Swift passing and recycling of ruck ball took play deep into Nuneaton’s 22 where the impressive Jack Hurst was in support to crash through the last line of defence and over the line. The conversion was missed but the hosts went into the break leading 33-15.
Their position was also helped by another yellow card, this time to Nuneaton’s stand off for an illegal tackle in the build up to Hurst’s try.
Lichfield started the second half on the front foot. A series of slick passing and powerful drives ended with Hurst on hand to take a pass from captain Kieran Reynolds to cross near the posts. Nevitt added the extras.
But the city men were unable to capitalise further with both Reynolds and second row Chris Bennett receiving yellow cards in quick succession for high tackles, reducing the home side to 13 players.
Unsurprisingly, Nuneaton took advantage, working an opening wide left to reduce the deficit to 20 points.
Both sides battled to gain the ascendancy and Lichfield brought on their remaining substitutes Jack Dace and Sam Benson for the final quarter.
The hosts went close when Michael Turner intercepted, but the Nuneaton defence recovered and Turner was tackled into touch.
With Lichfield back to full complement, they lost another player to a yellow card, again a high tackle. The influential Ditch Burton had to spend the majority of the final minutes in the sin bin.
Nuneaton raised their game and the home side had to defend stoutly. From a line out on the Lichfield line, the forwards won a turnover. However, the referee awarded a try when an alert player reached into the ruck and touched down with the ball in goal . The conversion was successful and with ten minutes to play the visitors had reduced the deficit to 13 points.
Lichfield had chances to put the game to bed with Maxwell-Keys failing to hold onto a pass with the line at his mercy.
But with Burton back on the field, the hosts finished with a flourish as they strung together a succession of passes and swift offloads. A series of close driving phases and trademark quick recycling ended with Ben Bourne crashing over near the posts. Nevitt added the points.
