Tuesday 14 October 2025 08:34
Newport travelled to 8th placed, Lichfield, a team they haven’t played since 2018. Conditions were perfect for running rugby, a flat, well-manicured pitch and a sunny calm day. Having scored 62 points last week in a gale, what were we in for today?
Lichfield kick off. Collect the kick but are quickly turned over. Dolphin grubber kicks through, Gamble collects the kick and makes good ground on the right before the ball is spread wide through the hands for Dinning to cross in the left corner. 0.7
Lichfield kick off again, but this time retain possession and make good progress, keeping it tight, through a number of pick and goes and score under the posts. 7.7
An accurate kick from a penalty takes Newport to the corner, where a perfectly executed catch and drive results in Adam’s touching down. The conversion was good. 7.14
Newport keep piling on the pressure with the backs looking particularly sharp. Some really tidy handling see’s Pugh score in the left corner. The conversion was successful. 7.21.
Another try for Dinning and one for Lichfield and the score is 14. 26 after only 25 minutes. Kale then twists a knee and is replaced by Taylor.
Gamble sets off on a mazey run from 30 m out and makes it all the way to the line. The try is converted to take the score to 14.33.
At this point Newport look like pulling away, but credit to Lichfield they dig deep and kick a penalty down into the Newport corner where they execute their own version of a perfect catch and drive to score and narrow the gap to 21.33. With half time looming, Lichfield keep the pressure on with a lot more intensity and some good handling see’s their fly half dummy and race to the line to take the score to 28.33 at half time.
Phew, everyone takes a breather after a helter-skelter first half.
The second half is underway and immediately Newport are awarded a penalty. Elliot elects to kick for the posts. But surprisingly misses after a near perfect kicking display in the first half. Lichfield don’t manage to clear far enough, Newport run it back at them. Dolphin gets floored with a late tackle but advantage is played and Dinning shows lightening pace to beat the cover to the line. 28.40
Lichfield manage to put several good phases together with their number 12 looking particularly dangerous and eventually some weak Newport tackling allows them through to narrow the score to 35.40.
Newport’s scrum has had the upper hand for most of the game and the scrum penalties are beginning to mount up. Eventually, the referee has had enough, and the Lichfield prop gets a yellow. Newport kick for the corner but the lineout is stolen and Lichfield clear.
However, Newport manage to come back and earn another lineout in the same corner. This time they throw short with a well worked move and Adams dives over. 35.47
Lichfield come back again and are camped on the Newport line for several phases. Newport’s defence holding strong against repeated short pick and goes. Eventually Lichfield spin it wide and a try looks certain, but Newport’s backs blitz out and Ingram saves the day with a thumping tackle, causing Lichfield to knock on.
Having been pinned in their 22 for 5 or so minutes, Newport now break out, going the length of the pitch. First, Elliot has a weaving, jinking run up to the halfway line where he sends a clever grubber kick, bouncing towards the corner. Then, Dinning, once again, hits top gear to beat the defence and touch down for his fourth try. 35.54.
Is a 19 points margin enough, because there is still 18 minutes to go. Well, Lichfield clearly don’t think so because there’s a definite rise in intensity and they launch a sustained period of pressure on the Newport line, and after moving the ball east, west and east again, the winger crosses in the corner. 40.54
They come straight back down the pitch again and after about 15 phases the number 8 crashes over. The kick is good. 47.54.
A lot of people are looking at their watches now. And then the Referee blows up for full time.
Final score; Lichfield, 47 v Newport, 54
What a game for the neutral! 101 points and 15 tries. Apparently, the score board operator was 80 years old. I hope he survived the afternoon!
Newport now claim the top spot in the league on 21 points with a one-point margin over Stourbridge and Newent, both on 20 points. Next week, 6th place, Lutterworth travel to The Old Showground.