Bromsgrove RFC First XV 55

Wolverhampton RFC First XV 5

Midlands Two West

BROMSGROVE Rugby Club's rampant first team notched another big scoring league win on Saturday -- including eight tries -- against mid-table Wolverhampton.

The victory spoke volumes for the Finstall Park outfit's strength in depth, with several changes due to injuries or player availability.

Fortunately, the alternative choice players gave the first team's management positive responses to short notice call-ups.

However, this causes problems for the other team captains, who often make dozens of telephone calls weekly to confirm availabilities, field suitable sides and honour fixtures. They are the unsung heroes of the club.

The first team benefited in this match from the sterling efforts of two newcomers who recently moved to the area.

These included prop Mark Tuffin and Richard Morrisey, who prefers to play in the centre but did well on the left wing.

Scrum half Colin Morley continued as captain in Andy Bridge's absence and Jon Taylor played at number eight with veteran stalwarts second row Ian Young and flanker Alan Haley making solid contributions.

Without doubt, open side flanker Dave Clark shone brilliantly in loose play, making good ground in attacks and his defensive cover tackles were sublime.

An early defensive error was penalised and fly-half Matt Birch kicked the goal to open his 17-point personal match tally.

The home half backs soon emphasised their superior strength, fitness and skills when centre Adrian Parsons broke clear to give outside centre David Wilkinson an easy run under the posts for a converted try.

The next score was started by Morrisey on the left and, as the defence closed in, good handling gave Lee Wainwright sufficient room down the wing for a converted try.

Late in the first half a Wolves hand was seen in a ruck near the 22-metre line and from a quick tap penalty Parsons broke through for a converted try.

Birch missed only one penalty kick but Bromsgrove were pleased with the 31 points scored at the interval, including a converted try by Morley.

Desperate

Running from deep in their half, Wilkinson and Wainwright inter-passed at speed, avoiding desperate defenders as the former scored the unconverted try.

The forwards also showed their pace when prop Mark Cornelius, with hooker Richard Arnold, broke from their half and Birch took the final pass to score the try and conversion.

It seemed Bromsgrove would run wild with a record score when Clark broke through the defence again and Wainwright scored another converted try, but Wolves did not give up.

During a series of replacements and consequent team re-organisation to give those on the bench a run out, Wolves showed quick handling skills for right winger John Treacey's unconverted try.

Last season's Colts captain Richard Stockholm came on as scrum half, Wilkinson exchanged roles with Morrisey and assumed the captaincy, Tom Lee replaced Haley on the flank and Jim Brearley came on for prop Tuffin.

All this was unsettling, if not confusing, during the last quarter of the game, which was made worse when further changes were necessary to maintain viable scrums when two opposing forwards required medical treatment off the field.

Eventually normal service resumed near the end as Bromsgrove broke clear. Wainwright passed to Parsons to touch down, probably to avoid the jug of ale purchase due for three tries. The conversion failed.

With no first team fixture this Saturday, Bromsgrove will be hoping injuries heal for many before the trip to Derby on November 10.

Results: Second XV: Wolverhampton 10 Bromsgrove 22. Third XV: Bromsgrove 30 Wolverhampton 15. Fourth XV: Droitwich Thirds 15 Bromsgrove 7. Crusaders: match cancelled. Under-19 Colts: match cancelled.