Friday 23 January 2026 09:15
Both teams returned to action after a four-week break following the Festive season and last weekend’s postponements and it’s fair to say rustiness and a tendency to force the play saw an error strewn but entertaining contest unfold. Newport thankfully managed to hang on for the win, never having been behind in the whole match.
Newport were virtually at full strength where even the bench also looked very capable with Tom Clarke making a welcome return from injury where he was joined by Jake Goulson and Jake Reynolds to make up the trio.
The visitors chose to go up the slope first half, a decision which backfired almost immediately when they spilled Newport’s kick-off, the home side recovering possession and going through multiple phases before Charlie Gamble found himself with enough space to cross in the right corner and scamper round closer to the posts giving Jack Ingram an easier conversion to put them 7 – 0 up in the blink of an eye.
Lichfield were struggling to gain any sort of possession and soon found themselves further behind when after a series of short driving phases George Perkins plunged over by the posts, Ingram converting to make it 14 – 0 with fifteen minutes gone. Whilst they hadn’t showed it yet Lichfield are a very competent side with some excellent victories under their belts and they slowly began to work their way back into the game.
Spending what seemed like an age in and around the Newport twenty-two they found their way over by the posts, this despite some great defensive work from Uluaki Kale, John Tuia, Chris Taylor and Mike Adams, the simple conversion meaning the visitors were very much back in it at 14 – 7 with twenty-six minutes on the clock.
Newport then broke from deep on thirty-two minutes with Tim Waqadau, Gamble and Billy Dinning, who had a fine match, all combining down the left before what from distance appeared to be a superb try-saving tackle but was deemed by referee Leigh French to have been too high and thus the penalty try was awarded. The Lichfield following on “The Bank” were none too pleased but there was little or no complaint from their players on the pitch but in adding to their woes the offender was despatched to the sin-bin to sit down for ten minutes.
Newport then had a great chance to extend their lead with a scintillating move down the right flank in front of the clubhouse but the final pass was spilled to deny them what would have been a memorable score.
Half-time came and went with a 21 – 7 scoreline and Newport unable to add to their score with Lichfield down to fourteen.
Matt Hubbart was taken out in the air giving Newport an attacking line-out within striking distance but it misfired and Lichfield were able to clear the danger. Newport’s bench then entered the fray replacing Luke Kendall, Hubbart and Charlie Pugh but as Newport again tried to force the play or try the 10% miracle pass they were hit on the counter by Lichfield who were becoming more and more threatening.
Indeed, they were to score twice within six minutes when first they drove over from an attacking line-out after Newport had been penalised at a scrum on half-way then after Dinning had produced a try saving tackle, the visitors re-cycled possession and they were over again. Crucially, the conversion was missed so Newport still held a slender lead at 21 – 19 but their position was looking increasingly perilous with a further twenty-four minutes left to play.
Newport found themselves under pressure again but James Tideswell turned over possession in midfield only for Newport to kick it away rather than transition into attack from broken play. Dinning then put a penalty to thirty-five out before Kale made a typical barn-storming run barrelling his way through several defenders setting up a great position where Newport had numbers out right but Mr French was forced to halt play with an injured Lichfield player being attended to in the line of attack to deny them a clear try-scoring opportunity.
It was important that Newport didn’t waste the position and from the resultant midfield scrum just ten out several tight drives from Goulson, Tuia who was a real handful throughout and Clarke before Perkins, again spotted the narrowest of gaps to stretch through the myriad of bodies and score, Ingram converting to put them two scores clear at 28 – 19 but there was still around eleven minutes left for the visitors to try and win it.
Following a high tackle Newport had a line twenty metres out which Goulson secured but as they attacked a wild pass in midfield went to ground presenting the ball to Lichfield who went virtually full length, a few missed tackles along the way, to register their fourth try, the simple conversion bringing them back to within two points at 28 – 26 with six minutes left.
Dinning then very nearly won a kick chase which forced Lichfield to put it out inside their own twenty-two. Newport got the driving maul on which was dragged down by the visitors giving them a further penalty. Whilst cries of “Take the points” echoed from the sidelines, they opted to put it into the corner, a further drive being held up giving Lichfield a goal line drop out and one last chance to rescue the game.
Panic was setting in a little so when Lichfield had a scrum on their own forty there was little doubt what would be coming but Newport’s defence managed to shut out the Lichfield backs eventually winning a turnover penalty that allowed them to put the ball out of play for a full time result of 28 – 26 and a further 5 league points secured to keep the pressure on leaders Bournville and maintain the eight point advantage over the play-off chasers in fourth place.
Newport travel to Dudley Kingswinford this coming Saturday where they will hope to add a further five although trips there are never easy, despite their current troubles, and the Coaching and Management team will make sure nothing is taken for granted.