Bromsgrove RFC 51

Shrewsbury RFC 17

Midlands Two West

BROMSGROVE Rugby Club's first team continued their charge for the league championship and promotion on Saturday when they swept aside newly-promoted Shrewsbury.

The win made it eight straight league wins out of eight -- a formidable record.

As ever, though, the scoreline does not tell the whole story. Not for the first time this season Bromsgrove's defence looked, at times, a shade fragile.

It was Shrewsbury who opened the scoring just five minutes into the game when their three-quarters, always fluent, moved the ball across field from second phase possession to feed full back Guto Edwards, who had added himself to the line to make the overlap.

He had a clear run for a touch down in the corner.

Bromsgrove, stung by this set-back, stepped up the tempo and edged in front ten minutes later after a series of fierce forward exchanges when prop Steve Phillips, unstoppable at speed and at close range, drove over for a try converted by Matt Birch.

Bromsgrove's problems were not over. Shrewsbury came bouncing back to recapture the lead a few minutes later when centre Malcolm Walker found a way through the Bromsgrove midfield for an unconverted try.

Once again, Bromsgrove lifted their game and it was a forward, hooker Tom Lee, who restored the home side's lead with a try following a quick thinking move in a goal line melee.

A try shortly afterwards, developed from a deep defensive position, with three or four well timed passes rounded off by centre Adrian Parsons, seemed to change the whole emphasis of the game, and the home side's confidence took off.

They were more composed with the ball in hand and less frenzied in their patterns of play.

Half time came with Bromsgrove well on top at 27-10.

Other try scorers were David Wilkinson (two), Andy Bridge, Lee Wainwright and Richard Morrisy -- his first for the club. Birch converted four of the tries and added a penalty goal.

Shrewsbury's consolation try late in the game was again created by a hole punched through the centre of the defence, this time by centre Andy Wilson.

Without doubt, Shrewsbury are a better side than their league position suggests.

Their backs moved the ball well and their half back pair of Paul Bolland and Matt Morris gave them time to do so.

It was superior forward play, especially in the line out, that gave Bromsgrove the winning edge. If Bromsgrove's dream is to become reality they have to tighten their defence.

The first of the two crunch matches against second placed Laurentians is at Finstall Park on December 8. Without some carefully laid plans town could be found out.

l Bromsgrove start their defence of the North Midlands Cup when they travel to Bridgnorth (to meet the home side) this Sunday, November 25, kick off 2.15pm.