Battle of the defences in thrilling rain-drenched match for Burbage RFC

A MASSIVE defensive effort saw Burbage take a 12-10 win in a thrilling battle against Bedworth.

With the rain streaming down all game, both sides struggled to get continuity in their play, meaning that for 80 minutes it was a battle up front.

Burbage’s pack was dominant from the first whistle, out muscling the powerful Bedworth pack.

Front rows Sean Frith, Darren Brink and JP Francis were excellent at scrum time, driving their opposite numbers back on many occasions.

The props were backed up with two big second rows, Gary Lawton and Michael Dickins, who worked tirelessly all game.

The back row was where the game was won though. A monumental defensive effort was put in by blindside flanker Mike Morris, in which he must have contributed to 50 per cent of the team’s tackle count.

Openside Kieran O’Hara put in a solid defensive shift and two-try hero Paul Rees used his experience to score both tries.

Centres Michael Allen and Zak Fullarton were defensively brilliant, knocking back their opposite number at every opportunity, as well as fly half Andy Redman, who’s booming touch-finding kicks relieved pressure time and time again.

The first score came off the back of a massive scrum. Burbage broke quickly, applying copious amounts of pressure on the Bedworth line.

The ball was fumbled and experienced Paul Rees was first to the ball to touch it down. Try unconverted.

Bedworth then hit back, using their big runners to come round the fringes but just couldn’t break down the Burbage defence.

The Burbage penalty count was creeping up and the Bedworth winger hit touch with a big penalty touch kick. Bedworth used their excellent lineout to catch the ball cleanly and drive Burbage backwards.

Burbage stopped the initial drive, but another wave broke off and Bedworth’s openside, Danny Coleman, who was a constant menace throughout, came up with the ball. Try unconverted.

Burbage again used their massive advantage at the scrum to score.

Number 8 Paul Rees controlled the ball excellently at the base of the scrum and urged his team to keep moving forward, which they duly did.

Rees used excellent footwork to see the ball over the line. Try converted by Andy Redman, 12-5 to Burbage.

It was Bedworth that came back yet again, he Burbage team visibly tiring after such a brilliant defensive display.

Bedworth coaches Lee Tonks and Ryan Jenkins bought themselves on and injected some urgency to the Bedworth play. Both ran some excellent lines but it was Tonks who scored his side’s last points of the game.

After hammering on the Burbage line for some time and not getting the yards needed, the ball was moved away from the contact area and shipped to the blindside. Tonks picked the ball up excellently from his toes and dived over the line.

The conversion to draw the points level was missed.