RUGBY: League leaders Saints make hard work of win at Burbage

Midlands 3 West (South)

Burbage 0 Rugby St Andrews 22

Saints travelled to Burbage for the first match of 2020 and were made to work hard after the Christmas break to record the required bonus point win against a side who belied their lowly position in the table.

Many unforced errors and a stubborn well organised home defence kept Saints at bay in the first half.

Saints used their forwards to try and punch holes in the defence but despite making ground could not find a way through. Burbage did have their own incursions into the Saints half, but these were well dealt with by the defence. The breakthrough finally came two minutes before half time. A penalty was kicked to the corner and Saints managed to get the maul moving, the initial drive was halted but a second push allowed Kalum Goodfellow to claim the try, converted by Will Morgan.

The second half started well for Saints, with the forwards lined up for another drive to the line Dave Rudd spotted a gap in the defence from scrum half to snipe over for a try. Any thoughts this might open the game up were quickly dispelled by the hosts who continued to put in some hard tackles as they spent long periods under pressure in their own half.

With ten minutes to go Saints upped the temp as they look for more tries. A series of forward drives and lineouts close to the home line were deterred until Martin Wolfenden stretched out to score the third try with three minutes remaining.

Saints launched another attack from within their own half in a search for the bonus point score.

They were soon camped in the Burbage 22 and with the hosts not contesting the ruck it allowed Kalum Goodfellow to pick up the ball from the ruck and go straight through the middle unopposed for a try with the last play of the match.

Saints will be looking to work hard during the week and then entertain Coventry Welsh in their first home league match of 2020 this weekend.

Man of the Match – Kalum Goodfellow