Broadstreet dig in to see off battling Nuns
AN immediate return to English rugby’s fourth tier is now within Broadstreet’s control following their battling win at Nuneaton.
But despite turning to play with the elements holding a comfortable eight-point advantage thanks to Ed Boxall and Jack Gibbons’ tries, Paul Hurst’s team needed a 40-minute defensive rearguard before the four vital league points were secured.
As well as avenging an earlier home defeat at the hands of Nuns, this result extended ‘Street’s unbeaten National Three Midlands run to 12 matches.
It leaves them two points clear of nearest pursuers Sheffield, with Nuneaton, who are now a further two points away in third place, also still very much part of the race to claim either the automatic promotion place or a play-off against the runners-up in National Three North.
Broadstreet head coach Paul Hurst was happy and relieved in equal measure after his team had battled their way to victory.
“We came into this game knowing it was going to be tough, they came to us and gave us a hell of a game,” he said.
“We’ve worked hard on defence this week and that’s where the game was won. They were asking questions all over the place while Rob Cook was running the show in the second-half, but we dealt with that threat and that work put in on Tuesday and Thursday was key.”
The visitors’ forwards made impressive early headway as the dominated the opening quarter despite facing a stiff breeze.
Harry Pendleton’s break was only snuffed out by some good scramble defence deep in the home 22, while scrum half Nick Thatcher also produced a couple of threatening snipes from the base.
‘Street then thought they had broken the deadlock, only for referee Sarah Toll to adjudge their driving lineout held up in goal.
However, they did take the lead from the resulting scrum, when Nuns front row crumbled leaving No.8 Gibbons to apply the finishing touch to a try which Lee Chapman converted.
The visitors’ fly half then missed a simple penalty chance before his opposite number, former Gloucester favourite Rob Cook, put Nuns on the board with a 20-metre kick.
Broadstreet extended their advantage ten minutes before the break with a second converted try, well finished by winger Boxall after the home defence was foxed by a bad bounce.
The arrival from the bench of huge centre Moses Liwaliwa then made an immediate impact for Nuns, who reduced their half-time arrears to 14-6 thanks to Cook’s second penalty.
Nuns’ forwards grew in authority as the third quarter progressed, but they only had a third Cook three-pointer to show for their endeavours.
Although the penalty count against Broadstreet mounted steadily, and the visitors also lost Thatcher to the sin bin for foul play, their defence remained impressively well-organised in the face of plenty of home pressure. Eventually a Chapman linebreak freed the shackles at the other end, and when Nuns killed the ball on the ground the visitors’ No.10 slotted an important penalty.
With Liwaliwa carrying strongly, Nuns dominated territory and possession in the closing stages, but were forced to settle for the consolatory losing bonus point earned by Cook’s fourth successful penalty.
Nuneaton head coach Huw Thomas said his team left themselves with too much to do playing into the wind in the second-half.
“We didn’t really get going before half-time, but second-half there was outstanding effort from the guys but we probably gave ourselves too much to do,” he said.
“A couple of things didn’t quite go our way, we didn’t keep the ball and we didn’t score when we could have. We’ve got three more games to play, but we’re relying on other people now, that’s the disappointing thing.”