Nuneaton 17 Stourbridge 18: Match analysis of Nat One clash

NUNEATON huffed and puffed against a stout Stourbridge at Liberty Way, but failed to blow down the door as the visitors somehow managed to win a topsy-turvy clash 18-17. In a game Nuneaton really should have won but conspired to lose, Stourbridge replacement James Rodley saved the day for his team when he brought an end to a six minute Nuns onslaught at the death when he stole the ball on

the ground.

Rodley’s reflexes and bravery came after a late Nuneaton bombardment in which Mike Umaga’s men had narrowly failed with two push over efforts following Ben Griffith’s sin-binning for persistent infringement as Stourbridge clung on like limpets.

Earlier, Stourbridge had surged ahead thanks to tries from Tom Richardson and debutant winger Simon Frewin, while fly-half John Higgins supplemented Richardson and Frewin’s scores by adding two penalties and a conversion.

Nuneaton hit back through Brook Davies’ converted try before the interval, and went on to completely dominate the second half.

Ben Avent ensured it was game on when the flanker crashed over for a converted try, but Nuneaton could not find another way past Stourbridge’s gritty defensive line. “It’s an incredibly disappointing feeling to have lost that game,” affirmed Umaga.

“We did more than enough to win it, but we couldn’t get over the whitewash at crucial times in the match.”

“It’s now about us learning lessons from it and making sure we don’t get beaten in this manner again. We have to get it out of our systems as quickly as possible. Full credit to Stourbridge – they hung in there at the end and showed how much the win meant to them.”