Lichfield welcomes Luke Massey, Tom Adams and Will Cotterhill back to the starting line-up for the arrival of Bournville – but it wasn’t enough as the visitors went away with a 32-29 victory.
The game started at a ferocious pace and the intensity which the Bournville forwards brought to the game placed the organised Lichfield defence under immediate pressure. As Lichfield attempted to continue to play with an expansive style, Carl Colvin, the Bournville centre pounced on an attempted wide pass to run in under the posts for an intercept try, converted by fly half Alex Warner. Lichfield responded straight from the kick off, putting together numerous phases of play with the powerful Tom Adams, Charlie Milner and Tom Paulsen carrying the ball with intelligence and which finally resulted in a penalty, calmly converted by Greg Massey.
As the game ebbed and flowed as both teams battle for the upper hand, Bournville won and drove a lineout ten metres out from the Lichfield line which ultimately proved impossible to stop. As half time drew near, and with Lichfield mounting another attack with Thompson, Squire and Steve Gabbitass all carrying effectively, the ball was ripped from the grasp of a Lichfield player and the Bournville scrum half Rod Petty chipped the ball neatly down the wing which rolled the length of the pitch, allow Dan Coniff to drop on the ball as it crept over the try line, Warner converted to take the half time score to 9 -22 in Bournville’s favour.
However, the mood in the changing room was not one of panic. The coaching staff and players knew that Bournville could not keep up their tempo and that Lichfield’s developing fitness levels would ensure that this was another close game which would come down to the final ten minutes of play, a repeat of last week’s encounter against Walsall. Within five minutes of the restart, Lichfield put together a six phase attack which forced the tiring Bournville defence to start to lose concentration. Following some excellent work from Adam Clarke, Will Cotterhill and the composed Matt Smith, Greg Massey accelerated through a gap in the Bournville line to glide in for a try which he then converted. Lichfield were now in a buoyant mood, which was soon quashed as the impressive Bournville No.8 Nick Southern crossed the line following another effective driving maul and then pick a go play.
However, it appeared that the Bournville efforts to score had depleted their energy levels further, as almost immediately Luke Massey ran a superb switch play with brother Greg who ran another try in under the posts. His conversion took the score to 17 – 27 and the Lichfield squad sensed an opportunity to claw back a seemingly impossible half time margin. Lichfield were now in complete control with ball in hand, and after some superb phase play, Luke Massey neatly chipped the rushing Bournville defence which was gathered by Will Cotterhill who was dragged down metres from the try line. From that ruck, the ball was transferred along an attacking line which consisted of forwards and backs who all displayed outstanding handling skills which allowed the impressive Paul Maxwell – Keys to touch the ball down over the line. With the score now at 22 – 27 and with only fifteen minutes left on the clock both teams and a joyful crowd knew that we were in for a barnstorming finish. As both teams tired, Bournville winger Chris Humphreys broke the line and the ensuing ruck resulted in a yellow card for Lichfield’s Paul Finnemore, deemed to have come in from the side of the ruck. The tide had now turned, for the moment at least and Lichfield were now defending with fourteen fatigued men. Bournville’s hooker, Dean Bick crossed the line to take the score to 32 – 22 with ten minutes left on the clock. Lichfield needed ten points in ten minutes to draw the match and as they ran back to the half way line, the superb home crowd cheered their boys on. Lichfield mounted attack after attack but could not break the Bournville defence. A chance was lost as the ball was worked out to the wing and as the tired Bournville players drifted across, Lichfield simply need to keep ball in hand to force the Bournville players to tackle and work in around the wide contact. Who knows what space would then have opened up. With seconds left on the clock, Lichfield put together another multi -phase attack which saw the outstanding Richard Burton bust through two tackles to off-load the ball Will Cotterhill. Greg Massey converted the try which took the score to 29 – 32, but sadly Lichfield had run out of time. All of the players and coaching staff knew that they had the opportunities, particularly in the first half to win the game. Lessons will be learnt and positives, of which there were many identified and reinforced as Lichfield look forward to a tough challenge as they travel away to face a Bedworth team, fighting for survival in Midlands One. The players and coaching staff would also like to thank the outstanding support and encouragement they received throughout the match and as they left the pitch.
Team: Clarke, Gabbitass, Bassett (c), Thompson, Squire, Paulson, Milner, Burton; Smith, L Massey, Maxwell-Keys, W Cotterhill, Adams, G Cotterhill, G Massey. Subs: Machin, Finnemore and Brown.
