Baxter hails side after heroic win

9:28am Wednesday 2nd April 2008

BROMSGROVE RFC head coach Ross Baxter has urged his players not to blow their golden opportunity to secure Midlands Division Two West safety, after the heroic 20-0 demolition of title-chasing Malvern.

Two tries from fly-half Duncan Roke and another from number eight Nigel Burrows led the Boars to a shock victory over their rivals on Saturday, and the result leaves the Finstall Park side's league status very much in their own hands.

Baxter's troops are without a fixture this weekend, but they travel to Lichfield a week on Saturday before hosting high-flying Hereford on April 19.

Saturday's win was even more crucial as Whitchurch, Bromsgrove's main relegation rivals, have a more favourable run-in with games against Cheltenham North and already relegated Barkers Butts.

But with the relegation battle looking like it could go down to the final day of the season, Baxter has warned his players there can be no let up in performances.

He said: "The target now is that we really deliver. There is something in the Bromsgrove mentality where by we'll have a big win at home, we haven't got a game the next week and we will slack off in the training.

"We haven't cracked away games yet in terms of mental attitude.

"But the most important thing is it is in our hands and the lads need to understand that.

"Lichfield away is another opportunity for us to take some points and really solidify us in the league.

"If we miss that opportunity it will be a travesty after this type of performance."

"From Thursday onwards the lads really built towards the game.

"They were really confident, we had our strongest side out, the weather really came in and it allowed our forwards to demolish their forwards.

"It was a big plus for us because at the start of the season their forwards were so much better than ours, it was almost no contest.

"So for us to come through the season and improve so much in that area was really important.

"We knew we had to dominate the front five in this area, and that is what we did.

Baxter revealed his delight at the way his side have developed over the course of the season.

His forwards in particular gave a sterling display on Saturday, frequently denying Malvern possession.

He added: "The team is developing slowly so we don't want to try and be too expansive.

"The weather was never going to allow us to do that but we knew where their weakness was.

"They had an old front five, who were going to tire as the game went on. We really worked them on the fringes.

"So that is why we played against the wind in the first-half, to really make them blow up, so that when we had the wind they never got out of their half."

Click here for a full match report

EDITORS CHOICE