Papa John’s Community Cup

Newent RFC 35 Lichfield 42

MIDLANDS Two West champions Newent and Midlands Two North winners Lichfield served up a classic cup tie on a warm afternoon made for running rugby at The Rec.

The lead changed hands several times but it was the visitors from Staffordshire who claimed victory with a stoppage time score.

Newent opened the scoring with a Tom Webb three-pointer after a run from Will Hartland took play to the Lichfield 22, but the visitors quickly responded with a converted try.

Ben Vincent then scored Newent’s first try, showing great strength to cross left of the posts after his side had gone through the phases, Webb converting (10-7).

But Lichfield then regained the lead with a try from a quick tap.

Lichfield scrum-half Sam Benson was soon given a yellow card though, Leo Oakey then carrying deep into the 22 and finding outside centre Nathan Brooks in support who dotted down, Webb’s extras making it 17-14.

A kick from just inside the Lichfield half by Doug Long was just wide but Newent went into the break at 20-14 with a Webb penalty in stoppage time.

Lichfield responded straight from kick-off in the second half with a try however, and quickly added another for a 28-20 lead.

Newent claimed the restart kick to launch an attack which ended with No 8 Vincent driving over by the posts taking three would-be tacklers with him, Webb converting the third try within the first 10 minutes of the second-half.

But Newent were then penalised at a ruck 10m out, and Lichfield’s tap and go was rewarded when Keiran Higgins crossed in the right-hand corner, with the try converted for a 35-27 lead.

When Lichfield were penalised in a similar position in front of their posts after a Newent attack sparked by Doug Long running back a clearance kick, the hosts opted for the posts with Webb slotting his third three-pointer (35-30).

And a perfectly weighted kick out of hand from the home fly-half then created perhaps the try of the day, the punt into space behind Lichfield’s rush defence sitting up perfectly for Long to take the ball without breaking stride.

The full-back raced into the 22 where once again Brooks was in support to take the final pass and finish in the right-hand corner.

Webb’s conversion attempt from tight to the touchline passed across the face of the posts, leaving it 35-35 with 14 minutes left.

Lichfield’s tap penalty strategy then backfired, allowing Webb to clear to the 10m line, but while Newent secured their lineout they lost possession 15m from the line.

Crucially Lichfield then stole Newent’s lineout and the remainder of the game was played in home territory.

Newent defended with their customary determination and seemed to have lifted the siege when they cleared to halfway,

But a long pass into space on the right by Lichfield’s impressive No 8 Richard Burton created the opportunity for a final attack.

Tighthead prop Rory Davis did some damage with a charge into the 22 and when he was stopped short of the line replacement scrum-half Seb Smith was in support to take the offload and cross for the winning try.

The first round Regional Two championship defeat was Newent’s first competitive reversal since losing at Cheltenham in March 2024.