Taunton 27 Bournville 20
Freddie Morgan salvaged a losing bonus point for Bournville on their first visit to Veritas Park but it could – and should – have been so much more.
The scrum-half levered over a long-range penalty with the very last kick of the match which ensured Bournville returned home with some reward for their efforts.
Under normal circumstances a bonus point on the road would represent a decent afternoon’s work but Bournville will be disappointed that a dominant performance from the pack was not reflected in points on the scoreboard.
Props James Burgoyne and Stef Thorp reduced Taunton’s scrum to rubble which led to two of the home front rows being sin-binned.
Bournville also unpicked Taunton’s lineout but were unable to convert their possession into more than two tries from Owen Williams, both converted by Morgan who also added another penalty early in the second-half.
In contrast, Taunton made the most of their limited attacking opportunities by bagging a try bonus point and crossing almost every time they ventured into Bournville’s 22.
The decisive score came three minutes from time when left wing Rocky Prowse crossed from a well-worked attack and ended Bournville’s hopes of securing a notable victory against a side that was playing National One rugby last season.
Bournville made life more complicated than it should have been with an error-strewn first-half display in which patient approach work was undone by poor handling, stray passes or penalties for holding on too long on the ground.
That meant Bourns never had a platform from which to counter after Taunton had opened up a 10-0 lead in the first eight minutes with tries from Ratu Vakalutukal and lock Harry Wright.
That scoreline would have been manageable but Taunto extended their lead just before the break when centre Jermaine Jones barrelled over and Reece Malone added the extras.
An early score in the second=half was vital for Bournville and it came when heavy pressure forced Taunton to concede a penalty and Morgan stepped up to bang over the kick.
But Morgan was off target with another penalty attempt midway through the second period and it was only when Taunton were briefly reduced to 13 men by the double sin-binning that Bourns finally breached the home defence.
Joe Nellany made the most of a penalty advantage to send a Crossfield kick into the corner where Taunton fumbled and Williams pounced to reduce the deficit to seven points.
But that score was immediately cancelled out by a penalty from Taunton’s Louie Sinclair who then added a touchline conversion to Prowse’s try to put Taunton three scores clear.
Williams gave Bournville hope of claiming a point when he emerged with the ball from a heap of bodies, Morgan added the conversion and then held his nerve at the death to secure a third bonus point from two away games.
*Bournville Blues continued their unbeaten start to their first season in the RFU Leagues with a comfortable 57-7 victory over Malvern Seconds at Avery Fields in Counties Three Midlands West (South).
Wing Harry Scarlett ran in a hat-trick of tries for the Blues who are top of the table with a maximum 20 points, one ahead of Upton on Severn.
