Regional 2 Midlands West

Newent 20 Ludlow 18

Newent maintained their 100 per cent record in the Regional Two West this season, but came perilously close to losing it as a strong second half comeback gave visitors Ludlow the opportunity to claim the game at the death, writes Simon Barker.

In the eight minute of stoppage time Ludlow’s Will Hodnet had a penalty kick to win the match, 35m out and to the left of the posts, but his effort went wide of the far upright.

These last gasp palpitations seemed a remote prospect in the game’s early stages.

Newent lost Jordan Devries to a yellow card for a high tackle after just two minutes, but by the time the second row returned to the fray they were two tries to the good – both scored by prolific left-winger Adrian Connelly.

The first was well taken to complete a multi-phased attack stemming from a scrum around Ludlow’s 10m line, the second rounded off another sweeping attack with Nathan Brooks making the decisive break before finding Connelly in support.

Both Tom Webb’s conversion attempts were narrowly wide, but this seemed a minor concern at the time.

A searing break from Ludlow’s full-back AJ Rocke, stopped just short by a tackle from Kyle Towers, served notice that the visitors weren’t here just to make up the numbers and started a prolonged period of pressure which saw Newent hold up a drive over the line and Will Hartland make a try saving tackle on Ludlow’s captain Charlie Doyle.

James Marshall took a knock on defensive duty and was replaced by Jack Devries, joining brother Jordan in the engine room.

Having displayed their defensive mettle, Newent’s next foray into Ludlow territory was rewarded with a penalty kicked by Tom Webb, after a late tackle on Jim Hartland, to put the hosts 13-0 up with half-an-hour played.

A well-chased kick from scrum half Tom Perkins gave Ludlow the opportunity to reduce the arrears immediately, after Newent were penalised for holding on at the ruck, and inside centre Will Hodnet kicked the goal from 20m.

Kyle Towers was injured defending the kick and was replaced by George Clair, who went to fly half with Tom Webb moving to inside centre and Will Hartland to cover Towers’ right-wing position.

The next box kick didn’t work out so well for Ludlow, as Newent ran it back and Leo Oakey picked a good line to carry into the 22.

Jack Devries was in support to take his offload and showed good speed and strength to finish under the posts, to give Tom Webb a straightforward conversion.

Twice Newent were penalised for being offside in their own half, to give Will Hodnet more opportunities to go for goal. His first attempt, from the 10m line, was wide of the mark, but he made no mistake from 25m to reduce the deficit to 20-6. There the score remained at the interval, but not before, deep into stoppage time, Nathan Brooks had crossed for what would have been Newent’s bonus point try had not the referee called them back for crossing earlier in the move.

Little did their supporters expect that the bonus point try would never arrive, nor indeed that their team would go scoreless in the second half.

Ludlow set the tone for the second half by pressing hard from the outset, but were denied by excellent defence exemplified by a try-saving tackle into touch on left-wing Jack Lines to give Newent the throw in 5m out.

But for once the home lineout went awry and the ball fell loose at the back. Ludlow’s hooker Jack Small was quick to accept the gift and crossed for the visitors’ opening try.

The conversion attempt was off target but the Salopians were back in the game at 20-11.

As they have done so often this season, Newent responded strongly to conceding a score, twice pressurising Ludlow into conceding penalties to set up five-metre lineouts at the opposite end of the pitch. From the first Tom Webb was held up over the line, whilst the second ended with a knock-on in the shadow of the posts which Ludlow used as a springboard for a counter-attack which took play back to Newent’s 22.

Another prolonged Newent attack which failed to penetrate Ludlow’s determined defence was ended by an interception from Jack Lines, sparking an attack which ended with a knock-on in the shadow of the hosts’ posts.

Newent continued to defend their line with their customary commitment, but their task was made much harder when Will Tanner was yellow carded for a high tackle.

To this point the scrums had been evenly matched, with both sides secure on their own ball, but Ludlow scented an opportunity with a one-man advantage and took it when, at the second time of asking, their pack pushed over from a five-metre scrum for No 8 Josh Lukes to claim the touchdown.

Hodnet converted to make the score 20-18 as the game went into stoppage time.

Newent again responded well to conceding – a clever grubber from Tom Webb and a stolen lineout giving them an excellent attacking position in the Ludlow 22.

But by now the visitors’ defence was in no mood to allow Newent to cross the gain line and won a penalty for holding on at a ruck.

This was deep in their 22, but Newent conceded another 10m for kicking the ball away and Ludlow tapped and carried into the home half, where a side entry at a ruck gave the visitors the opportunity to win the game with its last kick.

They failed to take it, but they certainly earned a lot of respect from a mightily relieved home support.

Newent: D Long; K Towers, N Brooks, W Hartland, A Connelly; T Webb, T Bailey; T Woodman, E Allen, E White; Jd Devries, J Marshall; J Hartland, L Oakey, B Vincent (capt.). Replacements: W Tanner, Jk Devries, G Clair.

Newent scorers:

Tries: A Connelly (2), Jk Devries.

Con: T Webb.

Pen: T Webb.

Ludlow scorers:

Tries: J Small, J Lukes.

Con: W Hodnet.

Pen: W Hodnet (2).