The Nuns couldn’t maintain their recent successes as they went down 43-24 at home to Bridgnorth at the weekend. It was a disappointing result and performance from the Nuns and they know that they will need to get back to the levels of previous games to come away with improved results moving on. Just the one change to the starting line up saw Martin Wood return for James Lloyd who is injured. On a positive, the side picked up their fifth try bonus point from five games through a Travis Bennett-Allcock brace plus one each for Martin Wood and the returning James Moreton.

It was the Nuns that opened the scoring on the 7th minute. From a 5m scrum the ball was moved across the pitch and then from the ruck, Wood picked and went through from a couple of meters out. Wilson added the simple conversion to take the score to 7-0.

Bridgnorth started to use the wind at the back to keep pushing the Nuns deep and the lineout had some difficulties with the breeze. After some sustained pressure, Bridgnorth worked their way over for a try near the posts to bring the scores level at 7-7 after 16 minutes.

Just a few minutes later and after conceding possession at a line out, the Nuns were put under pressure again and Bridgnorth repeated the first try. 7-14 after 20 minutes.

The Nuns missed a great chance to get back in the game in the 24th minute. From a scrum free kick they moved the ball wide and as Bennett-Allcock picked from the ruck down the short side, he couldn’t hold the ball with the line at his mercy.

After a couple of penalties were conceded and Bridgnorth worked their way down the field they maintained possession and created pressure to score out wide extending the score to 7-19 after 29 minutes.

Things then went from bad to worse for the Nuns. As they got themselves into a good attacking position from the kick off, Bridgnorth intercepted a pass and went 60m to score and take the score to 7-26 after 32 minutes.

The latter stages of the half played out with both sides having some territory but neither adding to the score.

The Nuns got the second half off to the best possible start. Having received the kick off they used the wind to send the ball straight back down the pitch. From the play they turned the ball over on the Bridgnorth 22m and then two phases later Bennett-Allcock dotted down on the corner. The conversion was missed but the score was now 12-26 after 42 minutes.

A few minutes later and things looked better again. From a scrum free kick in the visitors 22m the ball was taken forward first by Wood, then by Moreton before Wilson spread the ball wide and Bennett-Allcock was on hand to grab his second try in the corner. 17-26 after 47 minutes.

Bridgnorth extended their lead in a double flow for the Nuns in the 52nd minute. After two line out penalty offences, Captain Tom Aherne was yellow carded and then from a quick penalty the visitors scored to take the score to 17-33.

This was further extended when after some long passages of play up and down the pitch the Nuns defence ran out of numbers with one in the bin and Bridgnorth scored in the corner. 17-38 in the 59th minute.

The Nuns were pushing to get back in the game but to no avail. Bridgnorth re-gathered and came back with their last points of the game. Similar to a previous try, after a couple of line out maul penalties they moved the ball and crossed for their 7th try leaving the score 17-43 on 67 minutes.

The Nuns had the final say when they scored their fourth try to secure a bonus point. From a penalty kicked to the corner, the ball was secured and then driven forward. After the initial drive was repelled the ball was kept tight and taken forward again with Moreton getting the final grounding. Wilson’s conversion brought the score to 24-42 in the 72nd minute.

The game finished with both teams tread attacks but to little avail, however the Nuns picked up their second yellow card with Beverley leaving for a spell after a late tackle.

Head Coach Huw Thomas added after the game “We now need to dust ourselves down and revisit a few areas to improve ahead of next week. We are disappointed with today’s performance but it is an isolated game. We know we can do better and have done so previously so time to do that again.”

The Saxons went down 36-12 away to Pinley. Both sides are back in action next week with the 1st team away to Banbury and the Saxons hosting Syston

1 James Redman 2 Louis Addleton 3 Ben Dawes 4 Ben Haywood 5 Tom Aherne 6 James Lloyd 7 Arron Skyrme 8 Rudi Reid 9 Tom Smitham 10 Joe Wilson 11 Travis Bennett-Allcock 12 Josh Wright 13 Ryan Preston 14 Harry Beverley 15 Ben Kirby; 16 Ryan Marsh 17 James Moreton 18 Tak Chawadya