Lichfield RUFC got the better of Bournville in the first meeting of the two sides for a few seasons.
Bolstered by Nick Southern and Kev Birt – who had previously turned out for the visitors – the Greens ran out 49-19 winners.
The opening exchanges were cagey, but it was Lichfield who took control gaining field position. From inside Bournville’s half a searing tempo was set as the defence forced the visitors into errors. From the resulting scrum, the hosts moved the ball around the field, before Jonny Evans made a half break, feeding Cal Turner on his inside to power his way over for the opening score. Luke Massey converted from the right.
From the kick off, the home side played two phases, pressing up to the 10 metre, before a sharp series of long passes found Greg Massey running against forwards out wide. He put on the afterburners to round the full back and score in the corner. Luke Massey again added the extras from the touchline and Lichfield had racked up 14 points in ten minutes.
Bournville regathered the restart, but the home defence was more than a match for them as they again forced them into errors. The Greens were dominating the kicking game, and a series of exchanges saw the ball eventually gathered by Burton who spread the ball and Lichfield were off on the attack breaking deep into the visiting half before a knock on halted play.
Lichfield pressed and hurried their visitors and they again turned over the ball in their own half. The result was a series of phases before Maxwell-Keys found space on the outside of his defender, feeding Massey who drew the last defender and fed Rowlands to run in unopposed for his side’s third. Massey again converted from the right and Bournville were shell shocked with the pace of the opening 15 minutes.
The kick off went dead and from the resulting scrum, Greg Massey broke up the field before the visitors were penalised at the breakdown. The ball was kicked to touch and an elegant set piece move saw Cal Turner go through unopposed to score his second. Massey converted to give his side a 28-0 advantage.
Bournville, with nothing to lose, gathered the ball from the restart and pressed forward with purpose. Lichfield were penalised at the breakdown, and a quick tap penalty saw them snipe through.
The Greens were lucky to keep 15 men on the pitch but as Bournville went through their phases, they found some room on the right wing and their winger scampered over. The extras were added to finally get the visitors on the scoreboard.
But if anyone thought a comeback was on the cards, the restart put that to rest, as Milner gathered the kick broke up the pitch before a deft offload out the back of his hand found Rowlands on hand to sprint over under the posts. Massey converted.
The remaining 15 minutes of the opening period were played out in Lichfield’s half as Bournville pressed but were repelled from all angles with some top quality defence.
The Greens banished any second half demons they’d previously had as they once again hit the ground running. Dominating field position and winning the breakdown battle, Bournville conceded possession in their half, and from the scrum, Greg Massey broke and fed Maxwell-Keys. He found Fielding in support, who neatly skipped past the defender to run in under the posts. Massey once more converted.
Luke Massey was controlling the game behind a dominant pack and with Evans they forced Bournville deep into their own half. A line out on the 22m saw another set piece move executed perfectly as Will Cotterhill, on at fullback, was put into a huge hole to stroll over and dot down under the posts. Massey converted to finish with seven from eight and Lichfield were one shy of the half century.
Bournville did eventually score two more tries to end their day on 19 points, but the job was well done before that.
Lichfield: Birt, Gabbitass, Taylor, Thompson, Turner, Burton (capt), Milner, Southern; Evans, L Massey, Fielding, G Massey, Maxwell-Keys, Rowlands, J Massey. Subs: Bassett, Squire and Cotterhill.
