Sat 18 Sep 2021
The Bold kick start their season with a bonus point win after old friends Stratford travelled further up the Avon to Newbold. Writes Phil Fereday.
The match kicked off on a glorious sunny afternoon on a fantastically presented playing surface in front of a good size crowd. Stratford gained first possession and were keen to swiftly move the ball wanting to play at a fast pace and managed to get the first score on the board to come away with a penalty 0-3 Now it was the Bold turn to test out the visitors defence with some strong running and after a fine break by Dale Heaton to send Travis Taylor in for a unconverted try in the far corner 5-3 .Now both sides seem to settle down and the visitors started to win some good possession from the line outs and it was from one near Newbold’s try line they scored a converted try 5-10 .The next score came after a period of pressure after the Newbold pack had started to gained superiority in the scrum the front row of Duzza Ziba Rich Kirby and Ben Dawes all having fine games so from a dominate set piece the ball was moved along the line for Lee Lightowler to score which was converted by Ethan Wookey 12-10 this being the last score of the first half.
The second half started and the visitors were on the score sheet with a breakaway unconverted try 12-15 this seemed to spur Newbold into action and were soon back on level terms with a Ethan Wookey penalty 15-15 .At this stage of the match it seemed either side could come out on top but Newbold’s senior players began to make telling contributions Ethan Wookey leading his youthful backs well and with Tom Dixon and Kyle Furlong outstanding in the backrow the Bold began to take control .Once again it was from the set scrum that Newbold’s next score came from after a mighty push over Jamie Mapletoft dotted down and Ethan Wookey converted 22-15 . The final minutes of the game were played in the visitor’s half with Newbold pressing for that bonus point try and so it was fitting that it came from the hard-working forwards so after a succession of scrums on Stratford’s goal line the impressive number 8 Tyler Richards scored a try which was converted by Ethan Wookey 29-15.
