Newent 42 Hereford 7
On Saturday Hereford RFC travelled to Newent for a top against bottom clash, yet again the boys played bravely, but were beaten by a better team on the day.
“We knew, we would be up against it, taking on a very good and unbeaten Newent team away from home.” Said Head Coach, Scott Sturdy “They are bang on form, and were everything I expected. Well organised, physical and they moved the ball edge to edge really well. It was a tough day at the office and I thought the lads did really well, playing up the slope in the first half to contain the score at 28 points to nil. Newent took their chances down the slope, but we restricted them to four tries during the first half. During the second half we had a couple of opportunities early doors which we didn’t take, against good sides you have to take those chances.
We did score a well worked try from the left edge to the right and finished well, but we needed to back that up with two or three more scores. Unfortunately, after the twenty-minute period following half time Newent scored and we fell apart a little, the lads were hanging on a bit after dogging it out in the first half. Our season won’t be defined by playing Newent away from home, it will be defined by the next eight games.
We know we’ve got a massive seven to ten week period, eight crucial games and we know we need to pick up results during that period. It has been very encouraging over the last month to see lots of lads playing and showing lots of dog. We’ve used forty players already in the first team this season and over the next eight weeks we’re going to need to turn up, play well and get that first crucial win. We know we also need several more wins over that period of games. We are in a tough spot; the lads are working hard and we know it’s within us. We just need to get ourselves out there and over the line. “
Hereford won the toss and played up the slope in the first half. Hereford received the kick off and were really under pressure from the off. Newent put them under constant periods of pressure and managed to get over after ten minutes for their first try. Newent were well organised and playing well and Hereford’s wing Stefan Dyers saw yellow for a high tackle possibly a little bit harsh for a man of his stature. Newent crossed over for their second try on twenty-one minutes and followed that with further tries on thirty minutes and just before half time. The Newent fly half, who kicked superbly all day, converted all four of Newent’s first half tries. Iwan Holder missed a penalty for Hereford from half way, his kick skimmed the outside of the post. The half time score was 28 – 0.
Hereford started the second half very well, they had a lovely, short little lineout move that unfortunately, despite a lovely pitch to the green, they couldn’t convert and then scored a well-constructed try, which was moved from the left edge to the right after seven or eight phases and was finished by Josh Wright and converted by Iwan Holder. The Wyesiders came under pressure again and they dogged it out again for another ten or fifteen minutes before conceding 2 further tries, both of which were converted by the Newent fly half, taking the final score to 42 – 7. Newent were good value for all of their well worked tries. They were a well organised, big, physical side and when they got territory and possession, they made the points count.
The 1870s game with Worcester II was a Home Walk Over as Worcester were unable to raise a team. On Sunday the Under 15s beat Dudley Kingswinford 5 points to 55.
