Market Drayton Ravens run riot against Bulls

After a run of four straight Counties Two Midlands West (West) defeats, Ravens were in desperate need of a win on their visit to local rivals Bridgnorth Bulls.

And they ended that sequence in resounding fashion as they ran riot, touching down 12 times on the way to an 85-31 success.

Alex Gammon set the Ravens on their way with a penalty after three minutes.

The Bridgnorth pack proved a handful for the visitors all game and they drove over following a scrum to take a 5-3 lead.

But the Ravens hit back immediately. Apisa Valeiba drove forward and after the ball was recycled, Luke Roberts and Luke Walters combined to find Tevita Gadekiniusilada, who dummied his way through a scattered Bulls defence to score under the posts. Gammon added the conversion.

The visitors then struck again after Taniela Tabaleka made a break and found Apisa Valeiba in support, who beat the covering defence to run in from 40 metres. Gammon’s conversion made it 17-5.

The home side responded with a converted score to cut the deficit to five points.

And it was the hosts who then took the lead with a pushover try and conversion after the Ravens had conceded a penalty in their 22.

The end-to-end nature of the game continued as the Ravens added another try.

Will Charman started the move which ended with flanker Tabaleka carrying defenders over the line to score on the left touchline. 22-19.

The final score of the half went the visitors’ way as they scored a superb try that started behind their own try line and ended with Tabaleka hacking the ball forwards and winning the race for the touchdown. Gammon’s conversion made it 29-19.

Early in the second half, more fine work from Ravens saw Akuila Bulinova produce a volleyball dig to keep the ball in play before Tabaleka feed the ball from the right-hand touch through hands to Tom Minshall. He broke through the covering defence and found his brother George, who in turn fed Walters to score under the posts. Walters added the conversion.

Walters then raced from his own 22 to score again under the posts, with Gammon’s extras increasing the lead to 43-19.

Virtually from the kick-off Tabaleka made a break through the middle and Apisa, in support, ran in unchallenged under the posts, with Gammon converting.

The Bulls hit back with a converted try but the Ravens were soon back on the scoreboard through a try from Bulinova, again converted by Gammon to make it 57-26.

There was no let-up from the visitors as Gadekiniusilada struck twice with Gammon converting both scores. The scores are now coming at regular intervals and the Ravens tactics of keeping the ball moving and taking quick penalties is paying dividends. From another quick penalty the ball is moved wide and Gadekiniusilada is on hand to score on the right hand touchline. Gammon kicks a superb conversion. 64-26. Another quick penalty and again the ball is spread wide to Gadekiniusilada who scores his hattrick try near the corner once again. Gammon again converts. 71-26.

And then, Charman scored and converted a try to make it 78-26.

Tom Minshall added the Ravens’ final try, converted by Gammon, before the Bulls grabbed a late consolation try.