Rugby: Bridgnorth beat Cheltenham 36-22
Tuesday 18th October 2011, 8:51PM BST.
Bridgnorth left it late to book a place in the third round of the RFU Intermediate Cup – as they came from behind to win 36-22 at Cheltenham North.
The All Blacks – fielding an unusual family trio of John Madden and sons Connor and Callum – produced a performance that was maddening for long periods.
They squandered valuable possession and ignored at least four kickable penalty chances to go 22-8 down with only 20 minutes to play.
But four tries in the final quarter of the game – all converted by Stefan Hildred – allowed them to run out easy winners in the final reckoning.
“The maddening thing for Bridgnorth is if they could only have played in the first 60 minutes like they played in the last 20 – and have taken advantage of everything on offer – the score would have been nearer 60 points,” said spokesman Bob Turner.
“However, they easily deserved to win in the end.”
An early Hildred penalty had got Bridgnorth going before Craig Thomas scored his first try of the afternoon.
Then came the dramatic late rally – Thomas with his second before Luke Stevens’ converted score brought the scores level.
Thomas completed a hat-trick as Bridgnorth moved in front before young flanker William Stirk, who had come off the replacements bench, completed the scoring.
Shrewsbury bowed out of the competition after slipping to a demoralising 48-11 defeat at Upton-on-Severn.
The county town side are propping up the Midlands Two West (North) division and could not keep out the hosts – who have actually lost all of their league games in the south equivalent.
But Shrewsbury were missing several key players – including skipper Simon Evitts – and remain determined to get over their poor start to the season.
By CHRIS HUDSON
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