Hurst hails performances of youngsters

National League 3 Midlands

BROADSTREET won the title in style with a merciless 64-7 battering of a Sandbach side that was relegated as a result.

With Sheffield and Nuneaton poised to take advantage of any slip-ups, the hosts flew out of the traps in a free-scoring display at Ivor Preece Field.

Jack Gibbons and Josh Grimes both crossed the whitewash within the opening ten minutes to settle any nerves with Nick Thatcher next to touch down.

Andy Murray scored the first two of his hat-trick to make sure of a bonus point before half-time with Gibbons, Murray, Dale Glover and Lee Chapman adding gloss to the score.

The result marked Broadstreet’s 13th straight win and 15th match without defeat, a run that stretches back to November, to seal an immediate return to the fourth tier.

Head coach Paul Hurst said: “We went into the match with the same game plan we have had all season – to set a high tempo and play with intensity.

“Our backs have been scoring a lot of tries lately and we have a youthful side that has been hard to coach at times because they just want to play.

“It was a massive occasion but I was really proud of the boys.

“We have tried to promote something different by going with young, talented players and that will continue.”

Sheffield sealed second spot by seeing off Bridgnorth 24-3. Steve Deplage’s double sandwiched Owen Smith’s try before half-time with Rupert Broadley making sure of a maximum haul after the break.

Those results rendered academic third-placed Nuneaton’s 57-12 thrashing of Longton at Trentham Fields. Fourth-placed Peterborough Lions won 48-18 at Derby, while Birmingham & Solihull Bees rounded off their campaign with a 52-19 win over

Syston thanks to Jevon Hinds (2), Max Rodman, Ash Scriven, James Oliver (2), Matt Dight and Tawanda Chipazda. Much-changed Towcestrians lost 53-19 at relegated Bedford Athletic as tries from Eugene Baxter, Sam Sturley and Dave Devlin-Jones went without reward. Elsewhere, Lichfield beat Old

Halesonians 53-33.