Newent 39 Bournville 38
Bournville’s nine-match unbeaten run came to an end but not before their heroic fightback had almost snatched a dramatic win on their first visit to The Rec.
Jacob Fewtrell was off target with a penalty kick deep into injury time which would have completed a remarkable rally and inflicted a first home defeat on Newent in two years.
Instead of five points, Bourns left the Forest of Dean with two but they could so easily have returned empty-handed.
Newent were 39-12 up four minutes into the second-half after a salvo of four tries in 12 minutes either side of the break had rocked Bourns.
Lesser teams might have run up the white flag at that stage, but Bourns are made of much sterner stuff this season and they spent the remainder of the match laying siege to the home line.
A brace of tries from Nathan Decalmer and one apiece for Chris Idehen and Sam Grimshaw helped Bournville achieve their first target of a try bonus point and then another for the losing margin.
The improbable remained possible as Newent struggled to cope with Bournville’s improved pace and precision but Fewtrell, still groggy from the high tackle that led to his penalty opportunity, pushed his kick right of the target.
Had Bournville snatched victory they would have counted themselves a little fortunate because they had spent the first 44 minutes struggling to cope with Newent’s tight sloping pitch and a baying home crowd.
Newent reckon that playing at home is worth ten points to them – their record confirms that – and fly-half Tom Webb knows every contour of the pitch and he made excellent use of them.
Bournville did not help their cause by losing Adam Shaw to the sin bin for a high tackle in the first-half and Jamie Harding for a late challenge early in the second, but it was mostly missed tackles which allowed Newent to build their commanding lead.
Bourns actually took the lead when Adam Collingwood collected a crossfield kick and dotted down for an unconverted try but Shaw’s yellow card proved costly as Webb kicked the resulting penalty and left wing Kyle Towers crossed for the first of his three tries while the flanker was on the naughty step.
Shaw made his presence felt when he returned, driving over from close range after Newent overshot their jumpers at a defensive lineout and Harding collected.
Fewtrell added the conversion but the remainder of the half was dominated by Newent who attacked down the slope into the clubhouse corner.
Towers followed up his own chip ahead to regain the lead before hooker Ethan Allen powered over.
Towers bagged his hat-trick when Newent attacked from a five metre scrum which made it three tries in the last ten minutes of the half and left Bournville needing a solid start to the second period to get a toe hold in the game.
Instead Webb returned Fewtrell’s re-start kick with interest to win a 50-22, Newent won the lineout and rumbled Allen over for his second try. Harding’s yellow card was punished with a penalty from full-back Doug Long which subsequent events proved to be a critical score.
Idehen’s arrival gave Bourns fresh legs and plenty of forward momentum and he helped to drive Ben Meakin over for a close-range try which visibly lifted the team just when it was needed most.
Decalmer’s first try secured the first bonus point and rounded off a thrilling sustained attack. Decalmer then turned provider with a grubber kick that Grimshaw dotted down and then popped up on the other side of the pitch for his second which Fewtrell converted to set up the tense finale.
Bourns lost Shaw midway through the second-half with a dislocated shoulder which will be assessed during the week.
Through the viewfinder
Once again for those lucky people who aren’t addicted to Facebook, here is a link to the photos.
Sully, Bournville’s always friendly (and free) photographer
