The Notts rugby scene is already full-steam ahead, with most sides having already played five games. kicking off early last month; and for the counties’ clubs, and those in the Regional 2 Midlands (North) division, it’s certainly been a mixed start.
Following the opening five matches it’s West Bridgford who are leading the way out of the five clubs in the division, they sitting nicely in fourth place after three wins and a draw from their five, and are just five points off joint-leaders Dronfield, and Lichfield.
In the middle of the table, it’s Newark in eighth, and Paviors ninth, both having one just one apiece thus far, with the latter having lost four, whilst at the bottom, Mellish are propping up the twelve-team division, losing all five outings to date.
WEST BRIDGFORD (4th, 3-1-1) West have come flying out of the blocks in the early throes of the 2024 season, unbeaten in their first four outings, before narrowly losing, by a point, in their last outing, at home to Lichfield (29-28).
A 23-23 draw with visitors Walsall in their opening game was quickly followed throughout the remainder of September with three wins on the bounce, winning 36-32 at Mellish, putting 50+ past visitors Matlock (56-12), before edging rivals Paviors on the road (45-36) as September closed.
It has been those two derby successes that have lit up the early season for West, notching thirteen tries overall, six against Mellish, and seven against Paviors, Euan Murray and Calum Gunn featuring heavily in both.
At Mellish’s War Memorial Ground, Mapperley Plains, on 14 September, Murray would cross twice, along with three Gunn conversions, in the 36-32 success, four further tries coming via Alexander Smit, George Harris, Henry Henson, and Henry Camm.
Meanwhile, and visiting rivals Paviors two weeks later, West would emerge victorious from the Ron Rossin Ground, with a hard-fought, 45-36 win, claiming seven tries this time as Gunn pretty much enjoyed himself; three tries and five conversions from the visiting stalwart certainly kept their noses in front, whilst Robert Bell would add a brace of his own, along with further tries from Euan Murray, and George Harris.
WEST BRIDGFORD (starting XV vs. Paviors) Matthew Barrs, Samuel Bignall, Thomas Hackland, Joshua Shaw, Joshua Pearson, Henry Henson, Jasper Allen, Robert Bell, Alexander Smit, Calum Gunn, Steven Kpaka, Ryan O’Connor, Euan Murray, Henry Camm, Isaac Halsall (bench – Joshua Crane, George Harris, Oscar Smart)
With 188pts notched in their opening five games (pts difference +56), and 19pts on the board already, West fans are looking ahead to what could be an exciting season; next up they travel to Birmingham, and mid-table outfit Old Saltleians (2-1-2) this coming Saturday (19 October)
NEWARK (8th, 1-1-3) Having won their opener, 38-24, at home to Matlock, Newark have only picked up a draw in their last four outings, losing three times, including away to Paviors on 14 September.
Alongside the loss to Pavs, defeats have also come at the hands od Lichfield (43-14), and Melbourne (29-24), in their last outing, the draw being a 19-19 stalemate away to Old Saltleians; next up for Newark it’s a home game against second-bottom Tamworth (1-0-4) this Saturday (19 October).
NEWARK (starting XV vs. Matlock) Euan Fern, Jamie Vinters, Matthew Ashton, William Ellison, Oscar Wilby, Thomas O’Leary, Oliver Dodders, James Brogden, James Tarbatt, George Leeson, Ovidus Gilder, Matthew Walton, Joshie Waqalevu, Tommy Williams, Noah Catley (bench – Nathan King, Oliver Hillam-Cooke, George Bacon)
PAVIORS (9th, 1-0-4) As with Newark, three points and a place above them in the table, it’s been a mixed start for Pavs thus far, winning just one of their opening five outings (against Newark), whilst losing to rivals West, at home, along the way.
The season began for Pavs with a narrow defeat on the road at Melbourne (20-15), before picking up a big win at home to Newark on matchday two, Christopher Eggleshaw crossing twice, as well as a try and four conversions from George Billam, in the win over Newark; other try-scorers that day, as Pavs won 43-39, was Thomas Davies, Douglas Billam, Owen Taylor, and Danny Green.
PAVIORS (staring XV vs. Newark) Daniel Hyams, Owen Taylor, Thomas Ryan, Chris Tipton, Tom Gladwin, Matt Molyneux, Jacob Playford, Christopher Eggleshaw, Jonathon Green, George Billam, Thomas Davies, Douglas Billam, Morgan Jones, Danny Green, Daniel Flint (bench – Noah Bhatia, Sam Bradley, Russell Todd)
Unfortunately for Pavs, they followed that win up, with three straight losses, falling to Ilkeston (45-33), rivals West Bridgford, and in their last outing, away to leaders Dronfield (52-15); now they have to dust themselves off ahead of the visit of fifth-placed Walsall (3-1-1) this weekend (19 October).
MELLISH (12th, 0-0-5) It’s been a disastrous start thus far for bottom club, Mellish, losing all five matches, and shipping over 200 points combined.
Twice in the opening five have Mellish conceded more than fifty, losing the opening 55-5 away to Ilkeston, then losing 58-10 at Dronfield a few weeks later; other losses have been a narrow, 36-32 defeat at home to West, a 43-10 reverse against visiting Walsall, before a narrow reverse last time out, 25-20, against hosts, and second bottom, Tamworth.
They’ve a huge opportunity in their next outing though, when at Cromford Meadows, and third bottom Matlock (1-0-4) this coming Saturday (19 October).
Elsewhere in the rugby pyramid Southwell are sitting fourth in the Counties 1 Midlands East (N) division, five off early leaders Hinckley IIs, and two points behind third placed Loughborough, having collected three wins on their opening five matches, including a 25-19 success last time out at home to second place Belgrave.
Two other Notts clubs are in the division also, with Nottingham Moderns in seventh, and Mansfield ninth, both having won twice thus far.
Four Notts-based clubs make up the dozen in the Counties 2 Midlands East (N) division, the top two being the undefeated pairing of Nottingham Casuals (5-0-0), and Keyworth (3-2-0), the former holding a three-point advantage after five matches.
At the other end of the table, Newark IIs and Ashfield are two-thirds of the bottom three, Boston propping up the table, and the former of those still to taste victory, shipping 80+ last time out, losing 86-19 when away to third place Mosborough.
As for clubs in the Counties 3 Midlands East (C) division, the top four consists of four of the six Notts clubs residing there.
A dozen points split that of West Bridgford IIs (25), Southwell IIs (25), Bingham (19), and Nottinghamians (13), the joint-leaders both having won five-from-five thus far.
At the other end of the table however, Mellish IIs are third bottom with a draw from their opening five outings, and it’s Nottingham Moderns propping up the rest, with five losses, and minus-five points tally – looks like a long season ahead for those two, more with the former having already shipped more that 270 points in their five games.
*Article provided by Peter Mann (Senior Correspondent).
*Main image @Pavsscoreline it’s been a mixed start for Paviors so far this season.