Sheffield close the gap on Bournville
Midlands Premier
SHEFFIELD kept up their bid for top spot with a 22-7 victory over Sandbach.
At 7-0 to the hosts at half time, the defences were certainly on top before Sheffield clicked in the second period and pulled clear to win.
Tries from James Flint, George Castledine and Matthew Adcock were enough to elevate the visitors to within two points of league leaders Bournville.
Despite Nick Allsop’s try, the hosts fell to their first home league defeat of the season.
Paddy Davenport’s men drop to sixth.
Bridgnorth rose to third after an impressive performance on the road at Paviors, winning 27-12.
The hosts have now lost four games in a row and, despite a brace from Alex Barton, couldn’t claim a third home win of the season.
In contrast, the visitors claimed a bonus point as Luis Evitt crossed in his second successive game, complemented by Charlie Wright, Jonah Boyce and George Newman.
Newport Salop’s impressive form continued as they won with their “best performance of the season” according to director of rugby, Bob Adams. The 27-8 win over Bromsgrove sees them climb to fourth in the table.
Prop forward Joe Nixon got the hosts underway and was quickly followed by Ryan Crowley and Benny Elliot with the latter adding a further seven points with his boot.
Despite the resistance of the Boars through a Thomas Sadler try, Salop kept their composure and bagged their bonus point when Will Roach crossed the whitewash.
Bromsgrove could only add three more points via the boot of Will Harris and now sit one place behind Newport in fifth.
Elsewhere, Burton defeated fellow relegation strugglers Kettering 2114. Kick-started by a penalty try, they went on to notch three more converted scores. Nuneaton climbed to seventh following their 2110 win over struggling Broadstreet in the Warwickshire derby.
The loss leaves the visitors languishing down in eleventh. Doncaster Phoenix’s clash with South Leicester and Peterborough Lions’ match with Bournville were postponed.
South Leicester have now been deducted five points for failing to fulfil a fixture and, as a result, move below Peterborough on points difference.