After an encouraging display at Worcester last weekend, Lichfield came face to face with runaway leaders Sutton Coldfield in the festive fixture at Cooke Fields.
Derrick Squire returned in the second row, there were starts for Clark, Maxwell-Keys and Jones behind the scrum and George Cotterhill was back on the bench.
The hosts started the game in terrific fashion, attacking with pace from all areas of the pitch and fronting up physically to their opponents.
The greens were definitely the better side across the first 40, but fell behind to the only score of the half, as Nathan Burchell crossed out wide on the right. Richard Burton and Paul Finnemore were breaking the gain line at will in centre field, while Charlie Milner deserves credit for a tireless first half performance.
Energised by their half time rest, Lichfield came out firing once more in the second half and quickly earned the try they had deserved all afternoon. Burton broke through the middle and fed Greg Massey who raced away to score under the posts, with brother Josh adding the conversion.
The league leaders were visibly stunned into action. The biggest regret of the game for Lichfield must be the speed at which they relinquished their hard earned 7-5 lead.
Sutton are a very good side at this level and jumped on a brief lapse in Lichfield concentration, with a devastating three try burst in just eight minutes of play. Fly-half Daniel Poulton also stepped up for a simple penalty chance and in the blink of an eye, Lichfield were 25-7 behind.
But this was a determined Lichfield team, who refused to lie down and continued to throw everything at their opponents. Josh Massey made a sharp break up the left touchline, and Paul Maxwell Keys capped an assured display at 10 with a powerful run late on. Unfortunately, it was Sutton who finished proceedings with their 5th try, which came largely against the run of play.
This was a big lesson for Lichfield’s developing side, after going toe to toe with the league’s best for the vast majority of the game. They will rue the crucial period just after the break, which saw Sutton rack up 20 points in just ten minutes.
The greens take a three week break from league action, returning at Walsall on January 7. However, the club will play their annual club versus returning students game on December 27, kick-off 3pm.
Lichfield: Sowden, Gabbitass, Bassett (c), Thompson, Squire, Finnemore, Milner, Burton; J Clark, Maxwell-Keys, Rowlands, G Massey, Jones, Brown and J Massey. Subs: A Clarke, Haber and G Cotterhill.
