Burntwood secured a top two position in the league after running in eight tries in difficult playing conditions at home to Oswestry. The win should ensure promotion to Counties 1 Midlands West (North) subject to confirmation by the Midlands Leagues organising committee.
It sets up a top of the table clash at Harborne this Saturday to see which team claims the league winners’ trophy. Both sides are locked on 84 points but the Birmingham outfit are in first place based on the number of wins for the season.

After work on the pitch in the morning by club volunteers, the fixture went ahead and the hosts welcomed the opportunity to beat the only opposition they hadn’t previously beaten this season. A dominant performance was rewarded as early as the third minute. Line out possession was moved across field and back with Tom Shorrock and skipper Josh Canning close to crossing before Ben Holt dummied his way over under the posts for Kian Carter to add the conversion.

Storming runs by Charles Michael and Shorrock kept Oswestry pinned in their own half but their momentum was disrupted by injuries to Josh Shepherd (shoulder) and then Carter who went off with an ankle injury which was later diagnosed as a fracture. Shorrock continued his recent run of try-scoring when he finished off a catch and drive by the forwards after 18 minutes. It was then the turn of the visitors to lose a player to injury when their No. 6 was replaced.

The first venture into home territory by the visitors resulted in their only score and it was somewhat fortuitous. Sion Edwards acrobatically tried to keep a kick for touch in play but he only succeeded in presenting the ball to his opposite number who crossed in the right corner for 12-5 after 26 minutes.

However, Edwards responded in the best possible way by racing in for the first of a brace of tries. Billy Fisher began the move with a strong run and then backs and forwards alike combined to set the winger free for the try, converted by Holt. The half finished at 19-5 as the weather conditions deteriorated for players and spectators.

A minute after the restart and the hosts had the crucial bonus point try. A well-rehearsed line out move saw Luke Rookyard go over for a trademark score in the clubhouse corner. The hooker then monopolised the try-scoring as he added another three by the 64th minute – the fifth time this season that he has scored four tries in a game. His second try finished off a series of close range drives by his fellow forwards; his hat trick was provided by an over-the-shoulder pass from Hal Gozukucuk and the fourth came from another series of forward drives. He even had another chalked off when he was deemed to have crossed the dead ball line on the greasy surface.

Holt converted the latter score and also added the extras to Edwards’s second try, the winger sprinting away down the touchline from halfway and round behind the posts on 72 minutes. He almost made it a hat trick of tries but was called back for a forward pass in virtually the last act of the contest.

Burntwood 2nds also enjoyed success away to a mixed Stafford 2nds/3rds. The hosts conceded the Staffs League fixture as they couldn’t field a genuine third string but the visitors won anyway by 31-24 with tries from Squire (2), Turton, Robinson-Parr and Hughes. Two conversions from Maddox and one from Robinson-Parr completed the tally with Daryl Organ voted man of the match.

Picture courtesy of Jim Wall