The Nuns secured their first ever win at 5th placed Bridgnorth with a 33-34 win after Lucas Brindley kicked a penalty with the last play of the game. Both sides scored five tries with the Nuns coming through Travis Bennett-Allcock, Mike Volaikisuva, Ben Haywood and a brace for Harry Beverley. Brindley added three conversions and a penalty.

The match kicked off with the sun shining and a light breeze into the Nuns faces. Both teams seemed determined to keep the ball alive with an intent to attack even on a heavy pitch. The Nuns were showing some enterprise moving the ball wide to good effect but couldn’t get any sustained pressure in the home 22m.

It was the home side that got the score board rolling first after 17 minutes. From a line out in the Nuns 22m, they tried to drive over but were denied. They then set-to to try and bash over the line and finally did so after a number of phases. With a conversion added the score 7-0.

The Nuns came back quickly though and it was an excellent finish from Bennett-Allcock in the 21st minute. He took the ball on the blindside 40m out and on the touch line, beat three defenders and scored near the posts to allow Brindley a routine conversion to tie the scores at 7-7.

The Nuns then took the lead in the 25th minute. Bridgnorth moved the ball across their backline near half way and as they attempted a kick through it was blocked which allowed Volaikisuva to gather and beat the covering defence to the line to score out wide. Brindley added a well struck conversion to take the score to 7-14.

Bridgnorth tried to get themselves back on the score board and had a concerted period of pressure butt the Nuns defence stood strong. They managed to hold the attackers up over the line twice to relieve pressure but can be proud of the effort and execution of their defensive sets.

As the half drew closer to the whistle the Nuns were denied a third try when Bennett-Allcock tipped toed down the wing and then with a one two pass with Volaikisuva broke through to be score only to be pulled back for hitting the tough line.

Bridgnorth started the second half as they had finished the first, recycling the ball and going through a number of phases but it was more lateral than forward as the Nuns defensive held firm. And then in the 47th minute they forced a turnover 40m out, Brindley took on the ball and then fed Aherne who carried on the momentum. Two rucks later and the ball was moved wide for Beverley, who’d replaced Kirby just before half time, to score in the corner. Brindley was unsuccessful with a tricky conversion but the score was now 7-19.

Straight from the kick off then Nuns were back on the attack and keeping the ball alive. When they moved it wide they broke down the wing to score but were again brought back for a foot in touch.

They didn’t have long to wait though, from the Bridgnorth line out they turned over the ball and then after an Addleton carry the ball was recycled and moved wide for Beverley to get outside his man for his second try from 5m out. The four try bonus point was now secured but Brindley couldn’t add the extras and so the score was 7-24 after 50 minutes.

Bridgnorth started there come back in the 57th minute when they were awarded a penalty try. They set up a maul from a line out on the 22m and got themselves on the front foot. The referee adjudged the Nuns to have collapsed the maul illegally as the neared the line and to add salt to the wounds captain Aherne was also yellow carded, the score was now 14-24.

Not disheartened the Nuns hit straight back on the kick off. The hosts let the ball bounce as it came down and Iles gathered as he chased up, he took the ball on to within 10m and from the ruck Haywood picked and finished off. Brindley upgraded to take the score to 14-31 after 59 minutes.

It was know Bridgnorth’s chance to come straight back on the score board. The Nuns scrappily cleared from the kick off but with some disorganised defence the host came forward and then after a loose ball bounced around they re-gathered to score, 19-31 after 61 minutes.

The Nuns then had another opportunity to extend their lead. They attacked wide again and broke through, Volaikisuva gathered the last pass and as he was going over the line to score under pressure from the defence the ball was dislodged from his hand and knocked on in goal.

Bridgnorth brought the score closer in the 67th minute when the burrowed over from closer range having had the Nuns under some pressure on their goal line. With the conversion added the score was 26-31.

The hosts were now determined to maintain pressure on the Nuns and they continued to recycle possession and force penalties. On 75 minutes Skyrme was shown a yellow card as a result of too many penalties.

From the resulting line out, Bridgnorth peeled off the back of the line out for the prop to crash over from 10m out. With a successful conversion they took the lead again 33-31 with after 77 minutes.

Bridgnorth then knocked on from the kick off to give the Nuns a chance. From the scrum the ball was moved away and then a penalty was awarded for a high tackle. Brindley pushed the ball down the touchline and into the 22m. Ball was secured and as it was played across the pitch another penalty was awarded, this time for offside in the defensive line. Up stepped Brindley to put the ball through the posts and take the win 33-34 with the last kick.

A win that was fully deserved and built on some great defence and impressive attack throughout. Credit must also go to the hosts who played their part in a very entertaining game sharing ten tries.

A delighted head coach Huw Thomas’s added “We’ve backed up last week’s performance win another fantastic win today. To come away from home and take 5 points is a great effort from the squad today. We had 12 players in the squad aged 23 or below today and some of them have played like seasoned campaigners so credit goes to them. Bridgnorth challenged us throughout the game but we never stopped working or let or heads go down after they took the lead with a couple of minutes to go.”

Next weekend the Nuns return to home action after a month away and will be on the Stadium Pitch with hope for a big crowd. Stourbridge are the visitors for a 3pm kick off with the Saxons away to Tamworth.

1 James Redman 2 Louis Addleton 3 Ryan Marsh 4 Ben Haywood 5 Tom Aherne 6 Oli Mitchell 7 Zeb Gibson 8 Benji Mitchell 9 Tobias Trafford 10 Lucas Brindley 11 Travis Bennett-Allcock 12 Tom Eales 13 Ben Kirby 14 Tak Chawadya 15 Mike Volaikisuva; 16 Jack Iles 17 Arron Skyrme 18