LICHFIELD produced a fine performance against Banbury to return to winning ways after three games without victory.
The Myrtle Greens had energy in attack and defence with less periods of drop off throughout, variation to the phases of play and running lines allied to clinical finishing, which culminated in nine tries.
As the mid-table is so congested, they also kept visitors Banbury away from a bonus point, while rising a place to sixth themselves.
The afternoon did not start well for Lichfield, as Henry Nevitt stumbled badly in his in goal area chasing a kick and Dan Hale dived on the ball gratefully.
It didn’t take long for the home attack to start functioning though – and an overlap opened the way for Paul Maxwell-Keys to score wide out to make it five apiece.
From the 15 minute mark, the hosts started to dominate the game and their defence snuffed out Banbury’s few sorties into the red zone.
Four more tries were scored by half-time, as the city side ruthlessly exposed gaps in the opposition rearguard. Ditch Burton helped himself to two in close support of the initial break, while Kieran Reynolds and Tyler Moseley – his first at this level – added the other two to make it 33-5 at half time.
Banbury contested the start of the second period better, but they were kept out by some passionate home defence – and then conceded two tries soon after, a third for Burton and a second for Moseley to make it 43-5.
That was game over, but the visitors exploited some tardiness in Lichfield’s play, which probably came down to changes in personnel and positions off the bench. Prop Michael Bagby, who worked hard all afternoon for a losing cause, scored two tries from close range, the latter was converted by Regan Botham.
Lichfield were not finished and Charlie Milner, who kicked five from nine conversions, emerged from a driven maul with the ball and finally Seb Smith ran the perfect nine support line as the backs broke free and Moseley’s pass saw Smith home.
