Late Come Back Not Enough For Plucky Tamworth

Saturday saw the third meeting of the season between Tamworth and West Bridgford as they met in the Papa John’s Community Cup at Wiggington Park with Honours even as both teams had won their home fixtures in the league there was a bit of an edge to this tie being billed as a decider.
Both sides fielded changed sides from the previous week due to injury and unavailability but it was the visitors who settled and ran Tamworth ragged in a first half that saw them score four tries without reply as Tamworth just couldn’t get to grips with their speed in attack as they threw the ball around tearing huge gaps in the Tamworth defence weakened by players having to operate in unfamiliar positions and it was looking like being a very long afternoon for the hosts as West Bridgford went in at the break 26 points to the good with Tamworth still not registering a point on the board.
The second period got underway in pretty much the same vein as West Bridgford scored two more tries both converted to go 40 points clear.
Although it had been one way traffic for an hour and there was obviously no way back into this tie it was a testament to this team how they reacted in the final quarter of the game when instead of letting their heads drop they rallied and finally opened their account when Jay Rosenbach found some room on the outside and sprinted clear to score.
West Bridgford reacted well to this scoring almost straight from the kick off but Tamworth kept plugging away and scored next when Danny Norton bobbed and weaved his way through the visiting defence to grab a try.
Tamworth were now playing as all those watching new they could as West Bridgford battled to hold them out they did so not always within the law’s of the game and the referee finally lost patience with them running under the posts to award a penalty try.
It would be the home side that would round off the scoring when the ever dangerous Jack Dalton fielded his own chip through beautifully scooping the ball up off his boot laces before sprinting clear to score Tamworth’s fourth and final try making the final score much more respectable than it was looking at the hour mark.
The visitors showed that at this end of a long season depth of squad can be the difference. Thats taking nothing from them they were superb in attack and dogged in defence and for an hour Tamworth had no answers but credit also needs to be given to Tamworth on how they reacted and finally settled into the game.
They now have the summer to rest tired broken bodies and prepare for another season in Regional 2 where they will have much more idea on what to expect but deserve nothing but congratulations for their efforts in this maiden season at this level. And all that remains is to wish West Bridgford all the best in the next round and beyond.
Final Score
Tamworth 22
West Bridgford 45