Regional 2 Midlands West

Moseley Oak 17 Newent 35

CHAMPIONS Newent completed an unbeaten league season on Saturday, bouncing back from a draw at Hereford to beat runners-up Moseley Oak away, reports SIMON BARKER.

The Green Army rediscovered their clinical finishing and dreadnought defence to claim a bonus point victory to pass 100 league points.

With the wind behind them, a Tom Webb penalty put Newent in front, but the hosts – unbeaten at home until now – then claimed the restart and a catch and drive was brought down, with the referee signalling a penalty try and a yellow card for Will Tanner.

Newent hit back though when Will Hartland on the blindside wing chipped the defenders to regather and score, Webb converting for 10-7.

Moseley quickly levelled through a Lewis Simpson penalty, but recycled Newent ball was next spun wide for centre Nathan Brooks to go over, Webb converting from the left (17-10).

A Moseley attack ended with their full-back held up over the line, an Alfie Larcombe turnover and a huge Brooks clearance kick, before a Webb penalty for a deliberate knock-on extended the lead (20-10).

Then in first-half stoppage time, a Newent 5m scrum saw George Clair find league top scorer Adrian Connelly coming off the left-wing to score (25-10).

Buoyed by the wind after half-time, Moseley set up camp in Newent’s 22, battering away through their powerful pack, and with a visiting player yellow carded, the line was finally breached after 55 minutes, openside Ollie Southgate driving over for a converted try (25-17).

But scrum-half Dylan Leney then fielded a Moseley drop-out to launch an attack that saw second-row Alfie Larcombe score the bonus point try (30-17).

And Kyle Towers, replacing injured Brooks, next found a route through thick defence to dive over in the right-hand corner (35-17) for the final score.

Attention now turns to the cup, with Newent hosting Lichfield on Saturday (April 12), ko 3pm.