Bromsgrove 62 Longton 11

BROMSGROVE were just too hot to handle for visitors Longton at Finstall Park on Saturday as they ran in ten tries.

The Boars bounced back from their defeat to Lichfield to record their biggest win of the season in the National Three Midlands.

The visitors started determinedly, putting pressure on the hosts and breaking a few tackles with strong running earning themselves a penalty after eight minutes which fly half Hallam slotted.

The response from Bromsgrove was emphatic with a super-score from Tom Millen after great work from James Upton and James Lloyd-Jones.

Jon Critchlow converted, the first of six successful kicks.

Five minutes later the fast-improving Upton didn’t need any help going over for a solo try.

A scrappy passage of play followed for the next 15 minutes with the visitors trying to claw their way back into contention, eventually earning another penalty on thirty minutes.

It took only a few minutes before Town asserted their authority again, this time Millen produced a solo effort scything through the opposition to score.

Two minutes later, a typical Critchlow break put Tom Hunt over for a try, followed almost immediately by another score by Critchlow himself.

This gave Grove an unassailable 33-6 half-time lead having played some lovely rugby in scoring the points.

This side really does have pace to burn with wingers Hunt and Lewis showing a clean pair of heels to most opponents even the veterans in the back division like Critchlow, Lloyd –Jones and Millen seem to have found an extra yard of pace to keep up.

The second half started as the first ended with home pressure and ten minutes later Dave Lewis made an electric break which put Critchlow over for his second try.

This match was mainly about the backs but the pack were also playing well producing quality possession with Phil Horton, Jamie Tsang and Chris Morgan prominent.

They got their reward on 15 minutes when a catch and drive was halted illegally culminating in a penalty try.

On the half hour, Hunt got his second after several phases of quality play.

Longton briefly stopped the rot and scored through an incredibly long rolling maul, Dave McLean getting the touch down.

But there was still time for Grove to score two more tries both deservedly going to winger Dave Lewis whose pace and footwork were too much for the opposition.