Tuesday 28 January 2025 09:14
Away to Burntwood 25th January 2025
Burntwood 39-26 Newport
A rejuvenated Burntwood used the conditions in the second-half to overpower Newport, who struggled to regain their form from their first half dominance. Indeed, had Newport managed to breach Burntwood’s tryline just once in the second period, they may have steadied the ship and interrupted Burntwood’s momentum. And it was this momentum that carried Burntwood to score, at least twice, too easily against a disparate Newport defence.
Newport’s first-half performance though was top-drawer from the start as Will Lever’s quickly taken penalty rolled Burntwood onto their heels and moments later the excellent Will Turner blasted over for Newport’s first points.
Despite hard-yards carries from Daniel Boomer and Rob Mayer, it was Burntwood who then, in succession, spurned two of their three opportunities. Rebounding off the posts from their kicked penalty, Mayer was on hand to reclaim possession. It took four heavy-battering phases on Newport’s tryline to create their opening to level. And a defence splitting break from midfield caught Newport open, but Burntwood’s chip forward bounced fortunately and harmlessly out of play.
Warnings heeded; Newport gradually reasserted themselves with periods of prolonged possession and with confidence growing Newport manufactured superb attacking lines. First, Lever’s fifteen-yard weave caused disarray amongst Burntwood’s defence, Llewellyn Evans secured the territory on the right wing and switching through to the left, Billy Parry scored the first of his brace. His second came shortly from the restart after Ben Turner, Fergus Lamb and Alistair Heath usurped Burntwood’s defence for Harvey Sanders to exploit the space created, before offloading to the supportive Parry; never in doubt.
Burntwood’s discipline began to fracture and Newport looked to put the game beyond their opponents, knowing the slope and wind against them for the second period could give Burntwood hope. Burntwood’s resistance though, frustratingly thwarted Newport until the closing moments. Again, Lever instigated Newport’s attack, this time from a deep penalty, Fredde Richardson added yards plenty, Newport then rapidly moved ball to the left wing, including a gasping juggle, but when Ben Turner arrived with calm head to stabilise, he charged the final yards to give Newport a nineteen-point cushion.
Unexpectedly, Burntwood emerged for the second-half epiphanised. Under advantage, in the third minute, they blitzed their ten-yard lineout to their left corner; Newport needed to step-up. Rallying, Newport appeared to have regained composure, competing in both defence and attack. But when Newport’s concentration momentarily vanished, Burntwood easily strolled through to the tryline following their scrum, central in Newport’s 22. And inevitably another Burntwood try followed immediately after, as Newport continued their malaise.
Holding-up Burntwood in the goal-area and with subsequent good linespeed, had Newport turned a corner as they pushed play upfield? But, in the aftermath disorder of being reduced to fourteen, Newport conceded again and Burntwood were now ahead.
Newport only conceded further, a kicked penalty before being restored to full complement, but were now looking battle-weary, rotating injured players back on and loosing strength in the forward pack. Burntwood went on to score their final try, driving over Newport’s scrum and attacking, by now, Newport’s soft underbelly.
A lively encounter with both sides focusing on the positives of their preferred half. Ultimately Newport needed to secure a greater advantage in the first half, not just for the cushion to defend, but to demoralise Burntwood beyond revival. Of course, their experience of playing at home and able to exploit their own environment gave Burntwood an advantage. But it was their transformation from the half-time turn-around that ultimately determined this result.
| First half | Second Half |
| TriesWill TurnerParryParryBen Turner | Tries |
| Conversions Barker 3/4 | Conversions |
