West Bridgford are going up, their Seconds that is.

Following a dominant season in Counties 3, and with a game to go, at home to Long Eaton Seconds, Bridgy’s second string have been promoted to Regional 2 for the 2025/26 season.

Captain Daniel West has led Bridgy’s on-field dominance which has seen them collect seventeen wins from the nineteen played thus far, heading into that season finale with a fourteen-point advantage against second place Southwell Seconds.

It was Southwell who were beaten under those Friday Night Lights last time out, Bridgy winning 41-14 at their Stamford Road home, the hosts running in seven tries and three conversions, to seal the deal.

Against Southwell, and with it a promotion party, tries were claimed by Harry Watts (2), Dan West, Zachary Hill, Callum O’Reilly, Alex Hall, and Michael Hyatt, whilst Harrison Ashby with two, and Chris Barrett, converted three.

It was a much-deserved party for a side that began the season with five straight victories, including a 69-5 over Mellish Seconds; a 67-0 shut-out was inflicted upon Nottingham Moderns Seconds in an early, Halloween Massacre, followed by November successes against Ilkeston Seconds (62-28), and Leesbrook (63-7).

The Bridgy Juggernaut showed no signs of slowing down.

Sixty-points were turned to seventy and more in the New Year when, in early February, Moderns Seconds again brushed aside (76-11) prior to a 90-19 demolition job of East Retford, 90-19, in the Senior XV Bowl.

This month, the month of March would see first the Counties 3 Midlands East (Central) title confirmed with an 87-24 success at home to Leesbrook, the hosts running in some thirteen tries as Lee Hathaway, Dan West, Louis Wilson, and Jamie Thompson, all crossed twice apiece.

Victory over Southwell Seconds, promotion confirmed shortly after, has the visitors clinging onto second place going into their last game, with Long Eaton Seconds a point further back in third – of the other Notts clubs in the division going into the final matchday, Bingham are fourth, Nottinghamians eighth, Mellish Seconds tenth and Nottingham Moderns Seconds eleventh.

At the other end of the regional leagues, West Bridgford Firsts are the highest placed Nottingham club, sitting fourth in Regional 2 Midlands North, thirteen points off third place Melbourne, with two to play.

Away to bottom club Tamworth this past weekend, Bridgy Firsts eventually eased to a 50-19 success, running in eight tries, whilst Daniel Langton’s boot kicked five conversions; elsewhere in the division there was defeat for sixth place Newark (58-24 at Walsall), tenth

place Paviors (41-12 at home to Walsall), and a home hammering for second bottom Mellish, who were downed 96-0 at home to Melbourne.

Southwell Firsts remain fourth in Counties 1 Midlands East (North), a point behind third place Market Rasen & Louth; Southwell edged visiting Nuneaton Old Edwardians 31-26, whilst Market Rasen took care of their visitors, ninth place Nottingham Moderns, 64-19.

Mansfield meanwhile are sitting down in eleventh place and suffered their seventeenth defeat in twenty, 44-14 at Kesteven.

As for Counties 2 Midlands East (North), leaders Keyworth are closing in (on the title) at the top, five points ahead of Ashby and seven ahead of Ashbourne, with two to play; this past weekend they claimed an 87-14 stomping of hosts Newark Seconds.

Bottom of the table Ashfield meanwhile suffered badly in their home game, conceded three figures when home to fourth place Nottingham Casuals, that being an 103-7 success for the Casuals.

*Article provided by Peter Mann (Senior Correspondent).

*Main image @BridgyRugby celebrations for the promotion winning West Bridgford team.