Struggling All Blacks are made to pay the penalty
Bridgnorth were made to pay the penalty on Saturday as they suffered another frustrating defeat in Regional One Midlands.
The All Blacks suffered their third loss in four games as they were edged out 24-22 by Syston on home soil.
All three of those setbacks have been tight affairs and on Saturday the hosts were left counting the cost of a high penalty count in the second half.
“We have played four and lost three, so the stats don’t look very good,” said coach Bryan Smallman.
“A lot of games are probably going to be tight this season and across the three games we have lost there has only been nine points difference. It’s pleasing that we are not far away, but it is also frustrating that we are not far away.
“Across the three games we have lost there has only been nine points difference.
“On Saturday it was 10-10 at half-time. But then in the second half penalty count was 9-2 against us.
“Syston took nine points from three of those penalties and then we were chasing the game.
“Yes there were some errors, but we showed some guts to hang in there all the way. We should have been nowhere near them with that penalty count and the amount of possession we were giving them.
“The penalties are a worrying stat and it’s something we have to work on and focus on.
“If we can do that then we should be in a position where we are in the driving seat in games.”
Luis Evitt, scored three tries and Jordan Burgess one, with Beji Ritson adding one conversion.
Meanwhile, Newport beat Penrith in an Old Showground thriller thanks to a last-gasp try.
Newport found themselves 17-0 down before finally getting themselves on the board when Charlie Gamble collected Benny Elliot’s kick through and dotted down.
George Perkins finished a fine move involving Fergus Lamb and Finn Barnes to close the gap further still, helped by a conversion from Elliot, before edging ahead thanks to a penalty try – again converted by Elliot.
The two sides exchanged penalties in the second half, with Penrith getting back in front at 23-22, but Matt Hubbard burst through to snatch victory for Newport in the dying moments, with Elliott adding the extras.
