Burntwood RUFC’s second defeat in three games sees them slip to third place in the league albeit with a match in hand on the two sides above them.
The visit of Moseley Oak to The Sportsway this Saturday (March 5) will be a real test of Burntwood’s title-winning ambitions.
At the start of the season, they had found themselves 10 points down in a cup match at Castlecroft but rallied to romp home 43-10. This time they again conceded two tries, both converted, but there was to be no comeback, although at one stage they were within losing bonus point territory.
Wolverhampton had a penalty kick for goal in the opening two minutes but the ball sailed left of the target.
Full back Matt Wood made an exciting break down the left touchline on five minutes but couldn’t evade the last defender.
The home side ran a kickable penalty which came to nothing but they were looking good in attack. Fortunately for the visitors, they either passed the ball forward or took wrong options.
With 11 minutes gone, Wolverhampton emerged from a Burntwood scrum with the ball and two passes later they were in for their first try which was converted.
Two minutes later and the lead was doubled. Burntwood ran line out ball on their own 22 but were turned over at the second phase which allowed the home winger to round some weak cover defence to reach the posts.
Wood prevented further damage after 23 minutes by forcing a winger into touch.
Half an hour’s play had passed before Burntwood mounted their first decent attack, built on two good line out takes by Amrit Derry. However, a third line out was overthrown and the home side cleared their lines to retain their lead at half time.
The hosts scored their third try just three minutes after the restart to leave the visitors with a real mountain to climb. Two drives off a line out 10 metres out led to a try by the hooker on the short side.
Burntwood’s best attack so far followed five minutes later. Rob Cartwright, Craig Goodall, John Haire and Lloyd Shelley all featured to force a scrum under the home posts. A backs move failed to break through but the hosts were caught offside and Wood landed the easy penalty.
The visitors survived a forward drive by the home pack before giving themselves the chance of a come from behind win.
A Wolverhampton fumble in their own 22 presented Burntwood with a scrum. The ball was moved to centre Goodall and he put Wood in for an unopposed try which the full back also converted.
Another good attack from halfway saw Wood go through a gap but he was beaten to his chip ahead. His forwards re-gathered and probed left and right before Craig Seedhouse made it 13-19 with a drop goal.
Cartwright and Jack Neal combined well from the restart but the move ended in a knock on and then Burntwood’s hopes of a famous win were dashed on 35 minutes. From a scrum on halfway, the home side exploited an overlap down the right side for an easy run in from 40 metres.
The final action saw Wood send an excellent kick to the home five metre line. The ball was won at the line out and moved to the backs but with a try on, Wood’s pass to Mitch Adams was intercepted for a length of the field try and a conversion to follow to deny Burntwood even a bonus point.
With the challenge for the league title and a promotion place now a real three-horse race, the next two games are crucial. After the visit of second placed Moseley Oak this Saturday Burntwood travel to new table-toppers Newcastle (Staffs) a week later.
Elsewhere, the Development XV are away to Stoke Development and the 3rds welcome Burton.
Burntwood’s return match with Wolverhampton on March 26 will be the club’s Sponsors/Patrons Day with a pre-match buffet.
