Burntwood knew their recent run of good form would face a stiff test away to Bridgnorth 2nds who led the table with six wins from seven games. However, Josh Canning’s side were more than up for the challenge to win by nine tries to one. They dominated the first half to lead by 38 unanswered points. Early pressure brought no reward until a clever line out move saw Luke Rookyard go over for his first try to set the visitors on their way after eight minutes.

Three minutes later, Rookyard was in again, this time following a tapped penalty close to the home line. Brett Taylor added the conversion.
The visitors’ forwards and backs were combining to play at a pace that Bridgnorth couldn’t cope with and it became 19-0 after 20 minutes. Josh Shepherd was involved twice in the build up before Kian Carter’s strong run took him through opposition defenders for a try by the posts converted by Taylor.

Billy Fisher’s break kept his side in good position and the hosts were on a warning for repeated infringements. Ben Holt kicked a penalty award to touch five metres out from which Rookyard completed a hat trick of tries on the back of a driving maul. Taylor converted.
The hooker was not finished then either. He added a fourth try following good approach work involving Pat Bayliss, Fisher and Shepherd for a superb team score. Bridgnorth finally threatened the Burntwood line as the half time whistle was due but the hosts were held up and then conceded a penalty to remain scoreless. The clearance kick was knocked back into play but Fisher was up quickly to intercept a pass to race away unopposed to the posts for a try converted by Taylor.

In the first minute of the second period, Alex Smail, who was enjoying a good game at No. 8, was injured and received lengthy treatment before leaving the field to be replaced by Mackenzie Johnson. The hosts lost a prop forward to a yellow card on 52 minutes which allowed Burntwood to weather early home pressure and then work their way upfield. Rookyard was denied a fifth try and Taylor and Johnson all went close as the visitors’ scrum earned a series of penalties. The match official eventually awarded a penalty try to make the scoreline 45-0.

Almost as soon as the Bridgnorth prop returned, both sides lost a winger to the sin bin, Shepherd for Burntwood, as play became scrappy. However, Burntwood went past the half century when Fisher cut an excellent line to go in unopposed and Taylor converted. Fisher completed his hat trick of tries close to the end of normal time, speeding through to the line having been fed by Carter. Taylor’s conversion completed the visitors’ points tally but in a prolonged spell of injury time, Bridgnorth broke their duck as Burntwood’s ambitious run out of defence ended in a turnover and a home prop went over for a converted try.

The Bridgnorth player’s return from the sin bin did not last long as he received a second yellow card for a late tackle on Taylor which proved to be the last act in a terrific performance by Burntwood.

Burntwood 2nds continued their wining start to the season by defeating Tamworth 3rds 24-5 in Staffs League Division 2 East at the CCE Sportsway with tries from Daryll Organ, Jay Love, Scot Olson and Benson Finney plus two conversions from Jack Robinson-Parr. Prop Rob Jones was man-of-the-match.

This Saturday Burntwood host Market Drayton with kick offs now reverting to 2.15 pm. The 2nds are TBA.