A large crowd saw an exhilirating afternoon of rugby as both sides played their part in a fast – and at times brutal – encounter.
Graham Shelley’s men took the field on Saturday brimming with confidence having won their previous two games in the Midlands 2 West North division.
Bridgnorth arrived riding high in the league and had already beaten Burntwood in the reverse fixture earlier in the season, however it was the home side that started much the better playing undoubtedly their best 40 minutes of rugby this season.
With the Buntwood forwards dominating their opposition, it was the visitors who were forced into early errors under the surmountable pressure that was being applied and they got their rewards when Matt Wood chipped ahead and chased his own kick to touchdown in the corner to break the deadlock.
The home side now had their tails up and good forceful runs by first, Rhys Morgan and then Mark Poole almost gave Burntwood that second elusive try their possession and work rate deserved.
However Bridgnorth, with their scrum half making many sniping runs and now dictating his side’s attacking options, began to claw their way back into the game.
The home defence was finally breached and the game was evenly poised at five points all. This score seemed to rally Graham Shelley and his troops, who again laid siege to the Bridgnorth line and were soon rewarded with a penalty kick, but Wood failed to convert, hooking his effort just wide.
But the pressure eventually told as the ball was swung wide and moved though the Burntwood backs hands, Dan Thornton managed to off load in the tackle to fly half Wood who again crossed the whitewash bagging himself a brace of tries and a conversion.
This was turning into a crackerjack of a game as both sides continued to give no quarter. Again Bridgnorth replied, this time with a converted try under the sticks as their pressure told.
As the half time whistle loomed, Thornton took a flat pass 10 metres from the opposition line and darted through the Bridgnorth defence only to be tackled and held up in the opposition goal area.
This was the last play of a pulsating first half, as the sides turned around twelve points all.
The second half started off very much in the same way as the first had, as both Hal Gozukucuk and again the evergreen Poole made telling runs but were both thwarted as scores seemed likely.
Sooner or later Bridgnorth would make their move and following an uncanny error by the Burntwood line out, an excellent move from their backs enabled the winger to go over in the corner.
Burntwood soon replied with a Wood penalty but the tide was quickly turning and Bridgnorth scored their fourth try to effectively secure the points.
