Newport 12 Bournville 21
Bournville produced a superb second-half performance at Forton Road to secure a third successive away win and to cement their place at the top of Regional One Midlands at the half-way stage of the season.
A three points lead at half-time did not look like being enough for Bournville as they had to play up the slope and into the wind in the second period. But they produced 40 minutes of sustained aggression to deny Newport, who began the day level on points with them, the consolation of a losing bonus point.
It was almost a repeat of the heroics at Lutterworth two weeks previously with the big difference being that Bourns enjoyed more possession and territory in the second-half and played with impressive composure to bank a ninth win from their first 11 matches.
The second half of the season, which begins with a home match against Bridgnorth next Saturday, is likely to be harder as Bourns will face six away games including testing trips to Gloucestershire to play Drybrook and Newent early in the New Year. But a side that struggled to win on grass for two seasons has shown and ability to adapt their style of play to any surface or conditions.
This was another outstanding team performance based on a dominant scrum and some ferocious defence which frustrated Newport’s heavier pack for long periods of a compelling contest.
Bourns took the lead through and early penalty from Jacob Fewtrell and extended it midway through the first-half when Mauro Miller’s hoisted kick caused confusion in Newport’s defence and the ball popped up nicely for Kieran Henderson who galloped clear for a try which Fewtrell improved.
Further Bourns pressure should have brought more points but they were pulled back for a forward pass and then frustrated when they again got within touching distance of the home line.
Instead it was Newport who scored next with the final play of the first-half with Bourns conceding ground through a series of penalties, mostly for high tackles , which gave flanker Uuaki Kale the chance to rumble over from close range and for Benny Elliott to add the conversion.
Bournville had it all to do again in the second-half and they again got an important early score. They forced Newport into a knock-on almost from the re-start, retained possession with a series of aggressive drives before Mikey Ho put in a clever grubber kick and Nathan Decalmer beat the cover defence to the touchdown.
Fewtrell was unable to add the conversion but he did find the target with a 50th minute penalty after Kale was yellow-carded for repeat offending.
The numbers were evened up when Joe Jenkins was sin-binned for a high tackle but Bourns continued to play the more composed and disciplined rugby which kept Newport pinned in their own half.
Fewtrell was off target with a 63rd minute penalty but he made no mistake five minutes later which proved to be an important score as it left Newport needing two converted tries just to level the scores.
It was only when Bourns went down to 13 in injury-time after Jamie Harding and Ben Meakin were yellow-carded in quick succession that Newport eventually managed to breach the defences with Mike Adams going over from a lineout drive but Jack Ingram missed the conversion that would have secured a losing bonus point.
*Bournville Blues suffered an agonising 13-10 defeat against league leaders Barkers’ Butts at Avery Fields in Counties Two Midlands West (East).
It required a last-gasp penalty from Barkers’ to deny the Blues a share of the spoils.
