In front of their supporters and a large number of sponsors, Bridgnorth struck twice in the first six minutes. By breaking through close to the scrums and with close support, they scored two tries by No.8, Nicholls, and scrum half, Bladen. Stand-Off, Ritson converted both. With missing some players, Derby lacked the cohesiveness of the past five games. Something needed to be done and quickly.
Derby did fight back by tightening their defence and from a break on his own line Luis Natuli ran fifty yards before he was tackled. In close support, Ben Wilcox picked up the loose ball and galloped another fifty yards to touch down under the posts. Lewis Hancock converted and added a penalty to narrow the gap. However, some hesitation allowed winger, Barham to slip through for an easy try duly converted by Ritson. In added time, Luis Natuli crashed through two tackles for an unconverted try to make the interval score Birdgnorth 21 Derby 15. Game on.
During the interval, Nathan Bevan-Brown moved to prop, replacing Mick Johns and Josh Ridley came on at second row. However, two minutes in, Bridgnorth’s driving maul brought a penalty try and a yellow card for Bevan-Brown. Exploiting the extra man, prop, George Newman, scored from another maul and Ritson added the extra points. In response, Joe Acton took a pass from Ben Wilcox to score and Lewis Hancock converted to reduce the deficit to thirteen points. Back to fifteen players Derby forced their way over the line but the referee decided the ball was held up. Undaunted, Sam Tebbs took a short pass and forced his way over. With Hancock’s conversion, Derby were only six points adrift. It was then that disaster struck when the Bridgnorth pack drove over the line for Luis Evitt to score. Ritson’s conversion just added to the pain. Almost immediately, Cameron Finlay set off on a long swerving run. He outsprinted the back three to score near the posts for Lewis Hancock to add the conversion. At this point the Bridgnorth coach sent wing forward, Adam Ellis, back on to steady things. This he did and, with Ritson kickiking two consecutive penalties, the game was out of reach.
Derby tried valiantly but tired a little in the last ten minutes, when they conceded four penalties. The final league game is on Sat 5thApril at home to Banbury.
Kick Off 3.0p m. Do come and show your support.
Gerry Sherry