Bournville Head Coach Alex Grove highlighted a huge first-half defensive shift by his side as a major factor in the 47-17 victory over Lichfield at Avery Fields which took them to the top of the Regional One Midlands table.
Although Bourns ran in seven tries and ran out comfortable winners in the end they had to absorb plenty of pressure from a plucky Lichfield side.
After hooker Ben Rhodes went over for an early try for Bournville, Lichfield enjoyed almost half-an-hour of dominance but had just a penalty to show for their efforts. Having soaked up the pressure, Bourns then scored three tries in eight minutes immediately before half-time to bank a bonus point which helped them to leapfrog Stourbridge, who were beaten by Newport, at the top of the table.
“That first half was always going to be really challenging but what today highlighted was our defence,” Grove said.
“We made Lichfield really work in attack in the first half. For us to only concede three points was probably quite demoralising for them because they had nothing to show for their possession. We said at half-time that when we defend for long periods can we go and play with pace off the back of that? We then went and scored two or three tries from turnover ball in the second half which was very pleasing. The way we turned defence into attack was the difference.
“We are not going to go through a game without conceding a penalty at all but we made them work really hard for the scores they did get. I never felt that we were going to concede four tries and let them go away with a point. That’s important, to make sure that teams come here and leave with nothing.
“The goal was five points and we got that comfortably in the end.”
Bournville now have another another week off before making a first-ever visit to Lutterworth on November 22 which should give the medical team the opportunity to work on a couple of new injuries.
Lock Kieran Henderson departed with a suspected concussion sustained in a second-half collision and he will be assessed at training on Tuesday.
Captain Ben Meakin was a late withdrawal against Lichfield because of an inflamed bursa in his right knee, an injury that will also require monitoring.
Centre Sam Grimshaw should also discover this week whether the knee injury he sustained in the season opener against Nuneaton will require surgery. Grimshaw’s right leg has been in a brace for the past two months in the hope that he can avoid surgery and an even longer lay-off.
