Deserved last-gasp win for Newbold at Whitchurch - pictures

Newbold travelled to Whitchurch and came away with a well-deserved 20-17 win, writes Phil Fereday.

This was always going to be a tight and well contested game between two mid table teams, with the home side sitting above Newbold.

It was the Bold who got the first points on the table after Whitchurch were penalised for a scrum infringement Dan O’Brien converted the penalty.

Whitchurch soon hit back and scored an unconverted try in the corner 5-3.

Both sides were proving to have determined defences with Charlie Reid, Kyle Furlong and Oisin McKenna leading the way for the Bold and as the half progressed Newbold began to get on top in the scrum with props Duzza Ziba and Ben Dawes rock solid in the tight.

As half time approached the Bold were camped on the home side line and after a succession of 5 metre scrums the home side conceded a penalty try for 5-10 at half time.

Whitchurch refreshed after half time hit back to score an unconverted try for 10-10, but their ill-discipline allowed O’Brien to kick the Bold back in front with a penalty 10-13.

Once again play was taking place mainly in midfield but in the last few minutes of the match Whitchurch, cheered on by the home support, managed a break though to score a converted try in the corner 17-13.

Now in the last plays of the game Newbold, having worked their way into the home side red zone, had a desperate defence conceding penalties.

So after choosing to scrum the Bold forwards once again went for a pushover and on the third attempt the ball came out and was picked up by Jamie Mapletoft, who slipped it to O’Brien for him to dive over to score near the post. He then added the extra points with the last kick of the match to finish 17-20.

A last-gasp win but a hard fought and well earned one .

Bold host tenth-place Wolverhampton in Midlands 1 West this weekend.