NEWBOLD  9 - 6  HEREFORD

Newbold On Avon, 12 April 2003

Powergen Midlands 2 West League

However Hereford with 12 players under 20, including 6 colts, defended well and come out of the game with a lot of credit against a Newbold side that had only lost 2 games in their last 15.

Throughout the campaign this season at least 5 of the matches that they lost can be put down to inexperience and the players will have learnt a lot from all of their matches. Indeed from Saturday’s team only Andy Johnson was a regular from the previous season. To finish in the top half of the table is a creditable performance from a team that has youth on its side, given that only one of last year’s side has continued to play.

Newbold attacked from the outset and after 15 minutes were awarded a penalty for offside. Centre Nathan Cobb kicked the 3 points and then 5 minutes later put the home side 6-0 up with a similar effort. From the kick off Hereford were awarded a penalty and Osborne reduced the deficit to 6-3.

Hereford continued to press forward and some good line out ball form Atkinson supplied the backs with a useful amount of ball.

Chive Eastwood did his job at hooker ably assisted by his two 18-year-old props. Ali McCall playing his first game at prop and indeed for the first team and Ben Priday, the other side who can now almost be regarded as “an old stager”.

The second half saw another penalty to Newbold and a further 3 points from Cobb, after a sustained assault on the Hereford line, which the Hereford defence refused to buckle under.

Midway through the half Osborne again reduced arrears to make the final score 9-6 but that completed the scoring.