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Match report - 5th October
Robert Forsyth7 Oct - 14:32
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Burntwood survive late scare to progress to Staffs Intermediate Trophy semi-final.
After an hour of this entertaining contest, Josh Canning’s side had a 12 point lead but the hosts narrowed the gap in the time remaining and saw a late penalty goal attempt fall just short to prevent a cup upset.
Trentham, the current Owen Cup holders, may play one league below Burntwood but they made a fast start to the game and were in contention until the final whistle. They seized on a handling error in their own 22 and broke away, interchanging passes, to score an excellent try under the posts. The conversion was added for a 7 point lead after just three minutes.
It didn’t take the visitors long to reply, levelling the scores two minutes later. Line out possession on the opposition 22 line was moved out right and then back to midfield for Hal Gozukucuk to snipe round a ruck and race in under the posts. Brett Taylor converted.
On 11 minutes it was Burntwood’s turn to score from a move beginning in their own half although unlike Trentham’s early score this owed more to the boot than the hand. Kian Carter collected the ball when it rebounded off a post from a Trentham penalty goal attempt. He made ground before chipping ahead over halfway. Billy Fisher hacked on and touched down near the posts for Taylor to add the conversion.
Three minutes later and it was 19-7. Carter’s 50-22 kick allowed Alfie Dewsbury to gain line out possession for skipper Canning to dot down wide out on the right.
The hosts benefitted from a string of penalty awards to take play down the slope into Burntwood territory. Dewsbury transgressed with his side on a team warning and while he was in the sin bin Trentham capitalised with a converted try scored from a tapped penalty.
It needed a solid tackle by Carter to halt the home hooker before the hosts suffered from penalty awards against them to mark a shift in momentum. Burntwood won a line out in the home 22 and moved infield. When the ball was moved back left, Luke Rookyard dummied his way over for an unconverted try in the corner.
With a 24-14 lead and the slope in their favour for the second period, Burntwood seemed in a comfortable position but the hosts were quick off the mark again with a penalty to narrow the gap.
Even so, Burntwood went further ahead on 45 minutes following Carter’s well-judged penalty kick to the left corner. The line out possession was won and Jack Johnson popped the ball to Rookyard for his second try. Taylor’s conversion attempt was well-struck against the wind but dropped short.
Burntwood had chances to put the result out of sight but one score was ruled out for “crawling” and then Ben Finney was tackled into touch in the left corner to deny him a try.
Having played the third quarter in the home half, fortunes changed when a Trentham flanker burst up to the visitor’s 22 from halfway following a line out before feeding his winger for an excellent converted try under the posts.
Buoyed by this score, Trentham stepped up a gear and were almost in again but were held up on the line. However, they made it 27-29 on 65 minutes with a well-struck penalty goal into the wind from 35 metres.
When Reece Edwards was yellow carded two minutes later, the upset looked on especially when another sweeping move from their own half only ended because of a loose pass in the last five metres.
Going into the final ten minutes, Trentham won turnover ball but in their drive for the line they were penalised for holding on in the tackle.
With 77 minutes gone, the home kicker attempted a penalty goal from near the halfway line. His kick was on target but dropped beneath the bar. With Edwards back for the time remaining, Burntwood were able to keep play in the Trentham half and 22 and the final whistle sounded shortly after a home player was yellow carded.
Burntwood will host Longton in the semi-final which is to be played by 23rd November.
It is back to league action this weekend with the 1sts at Wolverhampton, the 2nds at home to Wednesbury while the 3rds host Handsworth 2nds. All kick offs are 3.00 pm.
Trentham, the current Owen Cup holders, may play one league below Burntwood but they made a fast start to the game and were in contention until the final whistle. They seized on a handling error in their own 22 and broke away, interchanging passes, to score an excellent try under the posts. The conversion was added for a 7 point lead after just three minutes.
It didn’t take the visitors long to reply, levelling the scores two minutes later. Line out possession on the opposition 22 line was moved out right and then back to midfield for Hal Gozukucuk to snipe round a ruck and race in under the posts. Brett Taylor converted.
On 11 minutes it was Burntwood’s turn to score from a move beginning in their own half although unlike Trentham’s early score this owed more to the boot than the hand. Kian Carter collected the ball when it rebounded off a post from a Trentham penalty goal attempt. He made ground before chipping ahead over halfway. Billy Fisher hacked on and touched down near the posts for Taylor to add the conversion.
Three minutes later and it was 19-7. Carter’s 50-22 kick allowed Alfie Dewsbury to gain line out possession for skipper Canning to dot down wide out on the right.
The hosts benefitted from a string of penalty awards to take play down the slope into Burntwood territory. Dewsbury transgressed with his side on a team warning and while he was in the sin bin Trentham capitalised with a converted try scored from a tapped penalty.
It needed a solid tackle by Carter to halt the home hooker before the hosts suffered from penalty awards against them to mark a shift in momentum. Burntwood won a line out in the home 22 and moved infield. When the ball was moved back left, Luke Rookyard dummied his way over for an unconverted try in the corner.
With a 24-14 lead and the slope in their favour for the second period, Burntwood seemed in a comfortable position but the hosts were quick off the mark again with a penalty to narrow the gap.
Even so, Burntwood went further ahead on 45 minutes following Carter’s well-judged penalty kick to the left corner. The line out possession was won and Jack Johnson popped the ball to Rookyard for his second try. Taylor’s conversion attempt was well-struck against the wind but dropped short.
Burntwood had chances to put the result out of sight but one score was ruled out for “crawling” and then Ben Finney was tackled into touch in the left corner to deny him a try.
Having played the third quarter in the home half, fortunes changed when a Trentham flanker burst up to the visitor’s 22 from halfway following a line out before feeding his winger for an excellent converted try under the posts.
Buoyed by this score, Trentham stepped up a gear and were almost in again but were held up on the line. However, they made it 27-29 on 65 minutes with a well-struck penalty goal into the wind from 35 metres.
When Reece Edwards was yellow carded two minutes later, the upset looked on especially when another sweeping move from their own half only ended because of a loose pass in the last five metres.
Going into the final ten minutes, Trentham won turnover ball but in their drive for the line they were penalised for holding on in the tackle.
With 77 minutes gone, the home kicker attempted a penalty goal from near the halfway line. His kick was on target but dropped beneath the bar. With Edwards back for the time remaining, Burntwood were able to keep play in the Trentham half and 22 and the final whistle sounded shortly after a home player was yellow carded.
Burntwood will host Longton in the semi-final which is to be played by 23rd November.
It is back to league action this weekend with the 1sts at Wolverhampton, the 2nds at home to Wednesbury while the 3rds host Handsworth 2nds. All kick offs are 3.00 pm.
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