Regional One Midlands

Newent RFC 31 Banbury 28

THE Green Army gained another five league points at the Rec but needed a get out of jail card to beat Banbury’s Bulls 31-28 in a proverbial game of two halves.

Having played some superb rugby to lead 28-0 inside half-an-hour, the hosts were clinging on as Banbury came back to level, before a last-gasp penalty from the boot of Doug Long saved the day.

Long assumed the place-kicking duties – and the fly-half role – in the absence of injured Tom Webb, while Jim Hartland and Kyle Towers returned to make the starting team.

Newent’s kick-off was knocked on and the visitors were penalised at the resultant scrum, but Long’s shot at goal from the 22 was hooked wide.

The first score wasn’t delayed long though, as another penalty for a high tackle was kicked to touch in Bulls territory.

The line-out was secured and Ben Vincent, lurking in midfield, burst through a gap and crossed by the posts to give Long a straightforward conversion.

And Newent then followed up with a try featuring superb off-loading and support running, Towers fielding a kick on his own 30m line to spark an attack where the ball passed through numerous hands before being well-finished by scrum-half Ted Bailey, with Long adding the extras for a 14-0 lead.

An excellent kick and chase by the lively Bailey next led to a Newent scrum 20m out.

The ball was secured and sent right then left, where Adrian Connelly couldn’t hold the final pass on the wing.

No matter, Newent’s speedster soon made amends, Bailey taking a quick tap penalty 25m out, before feeding Towers, then Connelly in space on the left, who sped down the wing before cutting inside to touch down behind the posts, Long’s conversion making it 21-0.

The bonus point try arrived shortly afterwards, outside centre Joe Warner taking a pass tight to the right-hand touchline and under pressure finding touch deep in Banbury territory for a 50:22.

Max Rodda-Lodder then secured the throw-in and the pack mauled over, Hartland claiming the touchdown, and Long converting for 28-0.

But critically, Banbury broke their duck before the break, with Lodda-Rodder yellow carded and the Bulls going over from a 5m line-out.

And after the restart, the visitors opted to tap and go from a penalty 20m out and recycled the ball through several phases before their No 8 forced his way over, with the try also converted.

Newent were soon pinged for holding on, with Banbury’s subsequent maul seen as deliberately collapsed by the referee, who signalled a penalty try (28-21) and a yellow card for hooker Ethan Allen.

Rodda-Lodder was narrowly held up over the line at the other end, and from the Bulls’ goal-line dropout there was a brief flare-up which resulted in a yellow card for Hartland and a red for Banbury’s scrum-half.

But with just five minutes left, Banbury secured a throw-in 10m out to put their winger over, with the conversion making it 28-28.

Banbury were soon banging on the door in the Newent 22 again, but were then penalised.

And having secured the lineout from the clearance kick, the hosts surged deep into Bulls territory, where another high tackle resulted in a yellow card and a penalty in front of the posts, which Long duly slotted to give Newent last-gasp victory.