Bournville 17 Dings Crusaders 24
Jacob Fewtrell’s superb conversion of Owen Williams’s last-minute try secured a losing bonus point which was the very least Bournville deserved from a fast and furious encounter against promotion-chasing Dings at Avery Fields.
Fewtrell’s nerveless kick from the right touchline ensured that Bournville gained some reward for an afternoon of hard work and enterprise and a performance that was a significant improvement on the previous week’s effort at Newport.
Bournville won the second-half 14-5 but were probably a little fortunate that they turned around only 3-19 down as Dings, fresh from a victory over previously-unbeaten leaders Luctonians, squandered three try scoring opportunities through forward passes.
But those errors were, in part, due to Bournville’s well-organised defence and, with an improved set-piece in the second-half, Dings were made to work hard for their bonus point win.
A hat-trick of tries from right wing Gabe Goss ensured that Dings headed back to Bristol with the win but the Bath Academy player did not have things entirely his own way.
Nathan Decalmer, Goss’s opposite number, scored a well-worked try in the second-half to continue his impressive development this season following his summer move from Telford Hornets. Decalmer was playing four levels lower than Bournville last season and seven below Goss.
Decalmer’s try, 12 minutes from time, was the first score of the second period and, with Fewtrell’s conversion, unsettled Dings who had things pretty much their own way before the break.
Goss’s hat-trick try, two minutes from time, secured the bonus point for Dings and dashed Bournville’s hopes of a memorable victory. But it did not dent Bournville’s confidence with a sustained attack being expertly finished by Williams although it still left Fewtrell with a difficult conversion which he made look deceptively easy.
Fewtrell had earlier got Bournville on the scoreboard with a 34th minute penalty which was swiftly cancelled out by a try from Dings hooker Joe Hawkesby.
The penalty was Fewtrell’s easiest kick of the afternoon but it started a fightback that had Dings rattled.
“We defended as a group very well and frustrated them which is what we said we wanted to do,” said Head Coach Matt Price.
“We broke a lot of their attacks down and then when it was our chance to play I thought we attacked them really well and put them under some pressure.
“There were a couple of little mistakes in the first-half which meant that we were behind at half-time, which was probably right. But we won the second-half 14-5 and we would probably take that.
“Dings missed a few chances in the first-half but that was through our efforts in defence. We spoke about being tight and aggressive and I thought we were today.
“We are a team that is growing and we are still learning when we can pull the trigger and go and play. When we did that in the second-half we put them under serious pressure.
“Jacob Fewtrell also deserves a lot of credit for showing nerves of steel to kick that conversion at the end. It was a difficult kick but he showed tremendous composure under pressure to make sure that we got a point.
“To come away with one point at home normally, you’d be disappointed. But actually, as a group, the performance was pretty good and it will stand us in good stead.
“The players worked hard for that point and they deserved it against a quality outfit. Dings have a good lineout, they can strike from anywhere and they are a dangerous side.
“But we defended well as a group and that gives us a good platform to go to Camborne next week.
“Camborne is a tough old place to go to. But the effort today was second-to-none. We just have to get a few bits right and attack and we will be good.
“We have a group that is learning on the job, but they are learning fast. But they are a good group and they are a tight group.
“It’s exciting. We have some good games coming up and we are looking forward to getting stuck into them.”
Through the Viewfinder
Lee Sullivan
Andrew McCumiskey
