Monday 23 March 2026 09:33
Home Woes Continue for Newport
In what was a superb advert for local community rugby Bridgnorth deservedly came out on top in the battle of the two titans of Shropshire rugby, holding off a late surge from Newport to secure the spoils.
A large crowd assembled on a glorious Spring day with The Old Showground looking at it’s best bathed in somewhat rare sunshine. Newport won the toss and chose to go uphill inviting Bridgnorth to kick-off. There were good early carries from Luke Kendall and John Tuia before a Newport penalty took them to within five of the visitor’s line, George Perkins the beneficiary from a well-controlled drive. Jack Ingram added an excellent conversion to give the hosts a 7 – 0 advantage after seven minutes.
Bridgnorth were then able to exert some sustained pressure in the home twenty-two and they were soon over in the left-hand corner, another excellent conversion levelling things up with seventeen minutes played. Jake Goulson then took a wonderful ball at the line-out to set Perkins away on the charge and after breaking through several tackles over a twenty-metre rampage he was able to feed Ingram with an inside pass that saw the scrum-half scamper over for their second score and in converting his own try made it 14 – 7 with nineteen minutes played.
Port had several more half-chances but the common trait of late in trying to force the play saw those opportunities spurned and when Tuia was yellow carded for a high tackle the chance arose for Bridgnorth to take advantage of the extra man. Newport did well to survive without damage but as soon as he returned the visitors got over in the left corner, the well struck conversion making it all square again at 14 – 14 after thirty-eight minutes.
Just as everyone thought the teams would go in at half time on equal terms some weak tackling in midfield let North in under the posts meaning they would go into the break with a seven-point lead.
All the locals will tell you that the slope at Newport is worth ten points so a seven-point deficit shouldn’t be too much of a challenge to overhaul but Bridgnorth had other ideas. Newport found themselves contained within their own twenty-two unable to find or execute an exit strategy meaning they were constantly under pressure.
North added to their tally with a straightforward penalty on fifty-three minutes to make it 14 – 24 before Newport eventually cracked under constant pressure to concede a further converted try on sixty-two minutes with the visitors well in command at 14 -31.
At last Newport managed to exert some territorial pressure of their own and hit back almost immediately when Tuia made a fine break down the left-hand channel, Jake Reynolds finishing in style in the corner. Ingram was unable to convert but Newport were back in contention at 19 – 31 with fifteen left on the clock.
North then put themselves three scores ahead with a long-range penalty, a score that proved decisive as Newport ran out of time to chase it down. There was only eight minutes left when Jake Goulson forced his way over from short range, Ingram converting for 26 – 34 and when Ricky Bailey scored with an excellent individual effort there was a glimmer of hope for Newport. The last five minutes was a remarkably tense and frantic affair as the hosts gambled everything throwing the ball around with Bridgnorth desperately trying to hold onto any ball they got to run the clock down.
Ultimately it was Bridgnorth who prevailed to claim a 31 – 34 victory in what was a pulsating and thoroughly entertaining encounter. Well done to them!
Newport will look back on three consecutive home defeats in which they have lost by three points or less, results which have seen Bournville clinch the title, and with it immediate promotion back to National 2, with two games still remaining.
Newport travel to Bournville next Saturday for what many were predicting would be a title decider several weeks ago but that is no longer the case. Their focus must now be to make sure they claim the necessary five points from their two games to ensure a home promotion play-off against Stourbridge or Newent.