Boars stun high-flyers

BROMSGROVE recovered from their thumping by Hereford to move out of the bottom two with a win over high-flying Lichfield.

Coach Ross Baxter and skipper Richard Arnold stuck by the majority of their young side, while Nick Copson made a return at scrum-half.

The Boars made a confident start playing with a renewed sharpness.

Possession was retained and Ben Copson's boot was used effectively to pin the opposition back.

But Bromsgrove were dealt an early blow when pack leader Graham Gadd was injured after just five minutes.

He was replaced by former skipper Dave Clarke.

It didn't stop them opening the scoring with a well struck penalty from Ben Copson.

However it was Lichfield who managed the first try.

Their threequarters executed a well worked move and cut through a stout Bromsgrove defence.

The try was converted and Lichfield led 7-3.

Bromsgrove continued to play with intelligence and precision and missed a guilt-edged try scoring opportunity when the ball failed to reach a three man overlap.

Unfortunately for the Boars, the Lichfield blindside picked up the loose ball and ran in to score another converted try to make the scored 14-3.

In response Bromsgrove mounted an attack from within their own 22.

The centres made ground and fed Will Woodhouse on the wing.

He made a delightful side step, broke the defence and then sprinted half the length of the pitch to score in the corner.

The conversion was missed but Bromsgrove went into half time 14-8 down, within one score of their opponents.

The second half started with both sides struggling to gain the upper hand.

Bromsgrove continued to control ball within the pack, while centre duo Lee Ward and Dan Ingram typified the team's attitude on the day.

Both players were out of position and were charged with the task of nullifying a strong Lichfield back line.

They did this with courage and commitment, and Lichfield were not to break Bromsgrove's defences again.

Skipper Arnold powered over from a line-out move and Ben Copson kicked a super conversion to turn the score to 15-14 in the Boars' favour.

Their confidence was rising and five minutes later Bromsgrove were awarded a kickable penalty, which was kicked to the corner near the Lichfield tryline.

This time secure line out ball was driven over by forward of the match Alex Macintosh.

Ben Copson then added an immaculate touchline conversion to stretch the lead to 22-14.

Lichfield were now on the ropes and Bromsgrove started to rampage.

This time the forwards started a driven maul 22 yards out, resulting in Arnold taking the ball over to score his second try.

Copson added the conversion to stretch the lead to 29-14.

The Boars' last try was a wonderful exhibition of fluid attacking rugby from midfield.

The attack was taken on through the bullocking run of Macintosh who fed to second row Kev Foster.

With options either side of him Foster side-stepped the full-back and waltzed through to score.

Copson slotted another conversion which concluded a breakthrough performance for the young fly-half, and rubber-stamped the win for Bromsgrove.