Midlands 1 West
Newbold on Avon 11 Sutton Coldfield 14
Sutton travelled to Parkfield Road with a point to prove having lost the last few encounters with the Bold and they put in a gritty and determined performance that won the game, writes Phil Fereday.
The match started with the visitors having first use of the elements with a strong wind blowing down the pitch and it appeared that what side used this advantage best would properly come out the winner. Sutton soon put Newbold debutant full back Carter Murphy to the test with plenty of high balls which he confidently dealt with in a workman like performance. The visitors were first to score after 35 minutes of play breaking through the centre field to score a converted try, 0-7 .
Newbold then managed to apply a period of pressure on the visitors' try line and from a catch and drive from a 5 metre line out drove Kyle Furlong over for a unconverted try 5-7 at half time. It looked like the visitors had not used the elements to their best advantage and expectations were high that Newbold would make better use of them in the second half, but the first score of the half was once again by the visitors with the forwards driving over Newbold’s line for a converted try - 5-14 to Sutton after 60 mins of play.
The next score was by the Bold from a penalty by Dan O'Brien 8-14. It came after a succession of penalties given away by a desperate Sutton defence. The final score of the match was again a penalty from 45 metres by Dan O'Brien for Newbold to make the score 11-14.
In a desperate final five minutes of the match Newbold were unable to breach Sutton's defence.
Newbold had some good individual performances but it was a very frustrating team effort. This I am sure will be put right in the week ahead.
1. .
Ethan Wookey tackling, with Manny Sidhu and Reiss Boon also close by
2. .
James McGill barging his way through, with Tom Dixon, Sam Thompson and Rudi Reid behind
3. .
Kyle Furlong with Ben Hartwell