Rugby Round Up – Bees Buzzing To Be Top
The New Year has begun with mixed results for both West Bridgford and Paviors, in the Regional 2 Midlands (North) division, the pair having won one, lost one, of the two games played.
Of the duo, Bridgy are currently sitting in third place, seven points off leaders Driffield, and three behind second place Lichfield, following Saturday’s 45-22 win at home to eighth place Old Saltleians.
Crossing for seven tries, and with five conversions from the boot of Calum Gunn, kept Bridgy within touching distance of the top two, tries coming from Euan Murray (2), Jacob Heath (2), Daniel Langton, Henry Henson, and Harrison Ashby.
Pavs meanwhile, they struggled to follow up on their turn-of-the-year success, when dropping a 54-24 loss away to fifth place Walsall, the Notts club sitting in ninth place, tied on 30pts with Matlock; the result was certainly one of chances blown.
Leading 19-12 at the interval, Pavs conceded early in the second to tie the contest, before the hosts ran away with it in style throughout the second, ultimately topping fifty points.
The other game for the two sides, that came in 4 January, Pavs winning narrowly, 25-22, at West Bridgford, the Memorial Ground playing host to a tight affair.
A see-saw contest saw the visitors cross first, through William Taylor, before a try from Robert Bell, and Gunn’s conversion, edged Bridgy in front; Christopher Eggleshaw then crossed for Pavs (George Billam converted), with Jacob Heath (another Gunn conversion) adding for the hosts, and all within the first twenty minutes.
The second half, yellow cards withstanding, burst into life when Charlie Wright crossed for the hosts, but a George Billam drop goal a little over five minutes later proved a significant turn in proceedings.
A penalty from Gunn had Bridgy dreaming however, the final ten belonged to Pavs, with Owen Taylor crossing for their third try of the afternoon, before Billam’s boot won through, first with the conversion, then a penalty, to give the visitors the win.
Newark are sitting mid-table and, like their fellow Notts clubs, have also started the year with one win, one loss, starting off with a 25-12 defeat at home to Old Saltleians, before winning 55-7 at Tamworth in their last outing.
Ably assisted by the boot of Alex Scott (five conversions), Newark were seen to run in nine tries as they routed their hosts, Ovi Gilder with a hat-trick, and Nick Allen a brace, whilst further tries were added by Will Staniforth, Aloesi Waqalevu, Will Ellison, and Sean Denning, as the visitors put up a 33-7 lead at the break.
Meanwhile Mellish remain bottom following their fifteenth straight loss of the season, losing out to both Walsall (103-14) and Matlock (24-19) in their opening two games of the year.
Although the joint-leaders have a game in hand, Southwell are continuing their chase of Belgrave, and Hinckley IIs, in Counties 1 Midlands East (North), the top two just six points ahead, Southwell starting the year with a brace of victories.
Opening 2025 with a 27-18 success against Manor Park, Southwell followed that up with a 34-14 derby success against visiting Nottingham Moderns, who are sitting fourth bottom.
Alongside Moderns at the wrong end of the table, beneath them are a Mansfield side who are second bottom, by eight, from Burton IIs (who’ve a game in hand); at Mansfield, they’ve conceded forty-one points in both of their games to start the year, losing 41-5 at Burton, followed by a 41-31 loss at Lincoln last time out.
Keyworth have a five-point advantage atop of Counties 2 Midlands East (North), although second place Ashby have a game in hand, the leaders having won ten, drawn two, of their fifteen outings to date.
The year started badly however, narrowly losing, 18-14, away to Mosborough, before returning to winning ways last time out with a 29-20 derby success at home to mid-table Nottingham Casuals.
The game against Casuals was also a landmark occasion for the hosts, and Adam Bugden, he making his 400th appearance for the club with his side, and the visitors, still aiming for promotion – Casuals, although sixth, are just six points off second place Ashby.
Newark IIs and Ashfield meanwhile are in the bottom three, the former winning 24-15 at home to Birstall, and the latter, they narrowly lost 20-17 when home to Gainsborough, in their last outing, both having registered three wins thus far, and are separated by nine points.
As for the Counties 3 Midlands East (Central) division, West Bridgford IIs continue to run court, and sit eleven points ahead of second place Southwell IIs, and twelve over Bingham, in third.
The leaders have won both their games to start the year, a narrow, 17-15 win at Nottinghamians, followed by a 42-31 barn-stormer, under the Friday Night Lights, last time out, at home to Melbourne IIs.
Southwell and Bingham both started the year with victories, against Castle Donnington (29-17) and Ilkeston IIs (31-14) respectively, however, this past weekend, they faced each other, at Bingham, the visitors jumping into second place, by a point, with a 31 15 success.
Nottinghamians, Mellish IIs, and Nottingham Moderns IIs, make up three of the bottom five in the division, the latter two the bottom two, with two and one point respectively, and one win, and twenty-seven losses – Nottinghamians have won six, drawn two, of their thirteen outings.
There were also several matches in the women’s game at the weekend, West Bridgford Ladies top of the NC1 Midlands (North) division, having collected their sixth win in seven league games thus far, seeing off visitors Long Eaton, 12-8.
May Lee and Charlotte Chaston both crossed for Bridgy Bees, Olivia Chantrey with one conversion, find themselves four points ahead of a Lincoln side who won 22-12 against Hull Ionians on Saturday; meanwhile, in the NC2 Midlands (North), Mansfield are also top of the pile, leading Sheffield Tigers by a point, following a 2012 victory away to third place Kesteven.
Mellish, who are second bottom, picked up a shut-out, 51-0 victory, at home to Amber Valley Tigers; Kristina Hay with a hat-trick and Eden Burch a brace of the nine tries, Nia Kirwan-Thomas adding a try and three conversions in the rout, whilst Ashfield are marooned at the foot of the table.
*Article provided by Peter Mann (Senior Correspondent).
*Main image @BridgyLadies the West Bridgford ladies side currently top their league.
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