Newent 61 v Whitchurch 19

This is one of the longest trips the North Shropshire lads have to make this season with a 108 one trip. This is proving a challenge to new coach Andy Powell with some of the team not being able to get the off away from families which ked to the debut for 5 young players. The Gloucester men won the toss and went with the wind and started fast and hard and with a harsh yellow card being given to Whitchurch debutant Matt Cliffe in the second minute for a tackle not 10 yards away from the penalty. The floodgates then opened and in the next 15 minutes the shell shocked reds found themselves down by 40 points.

Whitchurch then woke up and started tackling and made some good ground into the opposition half but were not able to cross the line tom pit any points on the board in the first half but at least kept the home team at bay and went into half time 40 points down.

The second half started better and Whitchurch kicking with the wind started putting the Newent team under pressure. This paid off after 7 minutes into the half following a line out move and Tom Stone went over for the first try for Whitchurch which was converted by James Marvel. Stone went over the whitewash again 5 minutes later with conversion kicked again but hopes of a comeback were dashed when Newent ran the length of the pitch to score under the posts. Whitchurch heads did not drop though and debutant Max Clarke went over to score again following a good break through the home defence. Whitchurch held on for the rest of the game, but the home side managed to get one more try with the last play of the game. Man of the match was Nathan Horton who took the captaincy role on the day due to Robbie Leighton still out through injury. Coach Andy Powell said after the game that he was impressed the way the lads fought back after being 40 points down early on, explaining that we looked more composed in the second half scoring 3 tries and only losing the half 21:19. He thanked the new lads for putting a great shift and said that this year is all about getting everybody together and working hard and is adamant that we will be contenders for winning the league next year.

The second team had a league game against Shrewsbury seconds and won a tight game 22 : 17. coming back from 17:5 down. Try scorers were Ollie Gabutt, Dan Hunt, Steve Bloore and James Topp.