> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://lichfieldlive.co.uk/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Lichfield RUFC survive first-half scare to overcome Hereford test - URL: https://lichfieldlive.co.uk/lichfield-rufc-survive-first-half-scare-to-overcome-hereford-test/ - Published: 2012-10-30T14:25:45.000Z - Updated: 2012-10-30T14:25:46.000Z - Author: Lichfield RUFC - Tags: #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2026-07-22 21:41 Lichfield RUFC narrowly avoided a banana skin as they overcame unknown quantity Hereford 34-29. [![Action from Lichfield v Hereford](https://storage.ghost.io/c/e3/90/e390c3da-0866-4d2a-8ffe-ca4999d7ce1c/content/images/lichfieldlive-co-uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/img_6244.jpg "IMG_6244")](//lichfieldlive.co.uk/2012/10/30/lichfield-rufc-survive-first-half-scare-to-overcome-hereford-test/img%5F6244/) Action from Lichfield v Hereford Things began well enough for the Greens when they took advantage of a loose start to the game with Dan Rowlands racing over in the corner for the opening try. But things failed to materialise as planned, with errors forcing Lichfield to concede possession in dangerous positions. This in turn allowed the visitors to play and they moved the ball well from left to right, utilising a pacy back three. The hosts found themselves defending on their own five metre line, a costly error gifting the visitors a penalty. They set their lineout and maul and Lichfield seemed to have it covered until the back man peeled off to the right for a quick two metre dash over the line. This was followed by two more quickfire tries, the Greens gifting Hereford possession through attempting too many fancy plays and missing too many tackles. The game stood at 5-19 with only 15 minutes played with Lichfield’s coaching team desperate to get their players to simplify the game and keep hold of the ball – and they eventually did as they began to play through the phases. A break from Luke Massey saw him draw the last man and feed Luke Taplin to race in from 20 metres. Greg Massey converted and the comeback was on. Hereford were an unknown quantity having come down from National Three this season. They continued to live off Lichfield’s poor accuracy, and were awarded a penalty which their centre neatly slotted. [![Lichfield kick for goal](https://storage.ghost.io/c/e3/90/e390c3da-0866-4d2a-8ffe-ca4999d7ce1c/content/images/lichfieldlive-co-uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/img_6303.jpg "IMG_6303")](//lichfieldlive.co.uk/2012/10/30/lichfield-rufc-survive-first-half-scare-to-overcome-hereford-test/img%5F6303/) Lichfield kick for goal With ten minutes remaining, the home side made their first front row substitution. This had been their only area of consistency throughout the half and saw them drive Hereford 15 metres backwards, before they infringed as their only means of halting the push. From the ensuing penalty Lichfield chose to scrummage, before the referee had seen enough and sin binned a visiting lose head prop. But Lichfield continued their pressure and were rewarded with a converted penalty try to take them in at half-time with the score at 19-22. After the interval, the Greens started the brighter of the two teams with their simple, intense play returning. Dan Rowlands again crossed the try line thanks to a well worked set piece play, and Greg Massey followed this up with a powerful individual effort taking him 50 metres and past several covering defenders. Lichfield now held the lead at 29-22, but it was short-lived. A knock on from the restart gave Hereford a scrum, and sloppy defending allowed their fly-half to slide through before feeding his centre to run in under the posts. The try was converted and the scores were tied at 29-29\. It remained this way for fifteen minutes, both teams forcing the play and making errors. An error-laden quarter-of-an-hour from both sides followed before the hosts’ scrum came to the rescue. Another excellent line break from Greg Massey saw the play move to five metres short of the Hereford line. When the clearing click was charged down, Lichfield’s scrum dominance came to the forefront. A surging drive saw the Hereford pack marched back over their try line, and Charlie Milner drop on the ball for the winning try. A game that could have easily been lost was salvaged, and the bonus point was gained. With other teams around also struggling, it proved a vital win to keep Lichfield top and move four points clear of nearest rivals Worcester. **Lichfield:** Taylor, Bassett (c), Machin, Upton, Squire, Doubleday, Taplin, Thompson; W Cotterhill, L Massey, Winter, Maxwell-Keys, Adams, D Rowlands, G Massey. Subs: McDonough, Milner and J Massey. *Click below to see more pictures of the action:* [ ![IMG_6270](https://storage.ghost.io/c/e3/90/e390c3da-0866-4d2a-8ffe-ca4999d7ce1c/content/images/lichfieldlive-co-uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/img_6270.jpg "IMG_6270") ](https://lichfieldlive.co.uk/2012/10/30/lichfield-rufc-survive-first-half-scare-to-overcome-hereford-test/img%5F6270/) [ ![IMG_6300](https://storage.ghost.io/c/e3/90/e390c3da-0866-4d2a-8ffe-ca4999d7ce1c/content/images/lichfieldlive-co-uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/img_6300.jpg "IMG_6300") ](https://lichfieldlive.co.uk/2012/10/30/lichfield-rufc-survive-first-half-scare-to-overcome-hereford-test/img%5F6300/) [ ![Lichfield kick for goal](https://storage.ghost.io/c/e3/90/e390c3da-0866-4d2a-8ffe-ca4999d7ce1c/content/images/lichfieldlive-co-uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/img_6303.jpg "IMG_6303") ](https://lichfieldlive.co.uk/2012/10/30/lichfield-rufc-survive-first-half-scare-to-overcome-hereford-test/img%5F6303/) Lichfield kick for goal [ ![IMG_6317](https://storage.ghost.io/c/e3/90/e390c3da-0866-4d2a-8ffe-ca4999d7ce1c/content/images/lichfieldlive-co-uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/img_6317.jpg "IMG_6317") ](https://lichfieldlive.co.uk/2012/10/30/lichfield-rufc-survive-first-half-scare-to-overcome-hereford-test/img%5F6317/) [ ![IMG_6345](https://storage.ghost.io/c/e3/90/e390c3da-0866-4d2a-8ffe-ca4999d7ce1c/content/images/lichfieldlive-co-uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/img_6345.jpg "IMG_6345") ](https://lichfieldlive.co.uk/2012/10/30/lichfield-rufc-survive-first-half-scare-to-overcome-hereford-test/img%5F6345/) [ ![IMG_6346](https://storage.ghost.io/c/e3/90/e390c3da-0866-4d2a-8ffe-ca4999d7ce1c/content/images/lichfieldlive-co-uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/img_6346.jpg "IMG_6346") ](https://lichfieldlive.co.uk/2012/10/30/lichfield-rufc-survive-first-half-scare-to-overcome-hereford-test/img%5F6346/) [ ![Action from Lichfield v Hereford](https://storage.ghost.io/c/e3/90/e390c3da-0866-4d2a-8ffe-ca4999d7ce1c/content/images/lichfieldlive-co-uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/img_6244.jpg "IMG_6244") ](https://lichfieldlive.co.uk/2012/10/30/lichfield-rufc-survive-first-half-scare-to-overcome-hereford-test/img%5F6244/) Action from Lichfield v Hereford [ ![IMG_6240](https://storage.ghost.io/c/e3/90/e390c3da-0866-4d2a-8ffe-ca4999d7ce1c/content/images/lichfieldlive-co-uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/img_6240.jpg "IMG_6240") ](https://lichfieldlive.co.uk/2012/10/30/lichfield-rufc-survive-first-half-scare-to-overcome-hereford-test/img%5F6240/) [ ![IMG_6217](https://storage.ghost.io/c/e3/90/e390c3da-0866-4d2a-8ffe-ca4999d7ce1c/content/images/lichfieldlive-co-uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/img_6217.jpg "IMG_6217") ](https://lichfieldlive.co.uk/2012/10/30/lichfield-rufc-survive-first-half-scare-to-overcome-hereford-test/img%5F6217/) [ ![IMG_6207](https://storage.ghost.io/c/e3/90/e390c3da-0866-4d2a-8ffe-ca4999d7ce1c/content/images/lichfieldlive-co-uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/img_6207.jpg "IMG_6207") ](https://lichfieldlive.co.uk/2012/10/30/lichfield-rufc-survive-first-half-scare-to-overcome-hereford-test/img%5F6207/) [ ![IMG_6195](https://storage.ghost.io/c/e3/90/e390c3da-0866-4d2a-8ffe-ca4999d7ce1c/content/images/lichfieldlive-co-uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/img_6195.jpg "IMG_6195") ](https://lichfieldlive.co.uk/2012/10/30/lichfield-rufc-survive-first-half-scare-to-overcome-hereford-test/img%5F6195/) [ ![IMG_6150](https://storage.ghost.io/c/e3/90/e390c3da-0866-4d2a-8ffe-ca4999d7ce1c/content/images/lichfieldlive-co-uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/img_6150.jpg "IMG_6150") ](https://lichfieldlive.co.uk/2012/10/30/lichfield-rufc-survive-first-half-scare-to-overcome-hereford-test/img%5F6150/) [ ![IMG_6097](https://storage.ghost.io/c/e3/90/e390c3da-0866-4d2a-8ffe-ca4999d7ce1c/content/images/lichfieldlive-co-uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/img_6097.jpg "IMG_6097") ](https://lichfieldlive.co.uk/2012/10/30/lichfield-rufc-survive-first-half-scare-to-overcome-hereford-test/img%5F6097/)