South score six, but so do Bournville in game of contrasting styles.

Bournville came to Welford Road just below South in the league table with a similar win/loss ratio. A close game was on the cards which is exactly what it turned out to be with twelve tries scored, six to each side.
South took the field with Gareth Kerr, Danny Graney, Simon Johnson and Luke Coltman returning after the debacle at Bedford Athletic. Joe Lamb started at 9 with Ricky Aley at 10 with Mark Lord, Ed Hopkins and Kyle Merrigan making up the bench. Leon Pohe, Mike Holford (excused from Nottingham’s long trip to Stirling) and volunteer Pete Bale handling the pitchside duties. Mark Aley ran the line.

From the onset South played to their strengths as the rolling maul made an early contribution to the game with Will Ward being driven over the visitors line for the opening try, converted by Ricky Aley. Bournville, on the other hand, moved the ball away from the contact area as soon as possible to enable the impressive Robin Eatough to torment the South defence from long range in order to score two quick tries, one converted. The visitors lead 7-12 at the end of the first quarter, but South bounced back with further close quarter work with Stu Bale, Chris Bale and subtle hands from Rhod McNaughton enabling Keiran Stone to rumble over. Aley converted and the aforementioned “little Stewie” added South’s next touchdown as Bournville were under considerable pressure. Aley couldn’t convert that try, but he added a penalty soon after to move the score onto 22-12 in the home sides favour. South were camped on the Bournville line for a series of scrums that eventually lead to a penalty try routinely converted by Aley for South’s lead to be extended to 29-12 and a try scoring bonus point in the bag. Even though the visitors were reduced to thirteen men courtesy of two yellowcards for their front row in the build up to South’s penalty try they managed to score an unconverted try just before the interval as South lead 29-17. Mark Lord replaced the injured Andy Gates just before the turnaround.

South struck again early as the powerful South scrum pushed Bournville back over their own line for Joe Lamb to gain the touchdown with Aley converting. South’s back line was looking dangerous as incursions by Gareth Kerr, Dave Weston and Danny Graney all gained ground. However, a move broke down and again Bournville scored from long range from their winger while danger man Eatough raced in for another score, converted to bring the score to 36-31 and South were jittery in the extreme. Ed Hopkins and Kyle Merrigan entered the fray as Danny Graney settled South’s nerves with a try with five minutes left on the clock converted by Aley. From another attacking situation in the visitors 22 South were turned over and Bournville scored another long range converted try to narrow the gap to 43-38. Aley had the chance to close out the game, but pulled his penalty attempt wide.
South had just about done enough as the final whistle sounded with only five points separating the sides.

Looking solely at the score it would seem to indicate that neither side played well in defence, which was probably true, but each side held the upper hand in contrasting departments. South were superior in scrums, lineouts and mauls, while the visitors counterattacked with venom from anywhere on the pitch. The visitors causing much concern in the South backline who tended to give them too much time to get into their running. The normal efficient South scramble defence was found wanting.

Overall a much improved display from the previous week and a five point victory - however still some considerable work to be done by the coaching staff.

Hinckley away next week for the fourth local derby of the season.

Squad: Graney, Weston, Smith, Gates (Lord), Kerr, Aley, Lamb, Bale C, Johnson, Ward, Ord (Merrigan), Bale S, McNaughton, Coltman, Stone (Hopkins).