Rugby Union
Bromsgrove are denied in thriller

Buy photos » Sam Bastock crosses the line during Saturday’s thrilling clash between Hull Ionians and Bromsgrove. Picture by Peter Jepson.

A THRILLING clash at Hull Ionians did not go Bromsgrove’s way on Saturday as they fell to a 34-32 National Two North defeat.

The Finstall Park outfit, who do not have a game tomorrow, returned home with two valuable bonus points despite the defeat in a contest that saw both sides attack from the outset.

It was Bromsgrove’s adventurous spirit that cost them in the early stages as when they lost possession in an attack it allowed the hosts to counter and Green chipped ahead for Wilson to pick up and score, Marshall converted.

Unfazed by falling behind, Bromsgrove ventured forward again and got themselves back on terms when Jon Critchlow converted Sam Bastock’s try after he ran in from 30 metres.

Hull responded by demolishing a Bromsgrove scrum to be awarded a penalty try which Marshall again improved.

Critchlow kicked a penalty to cut the gap to 14-10 and he went on to convert Warren Oliver’s try as Bromsgrove got their noses ahead for the first time in the game.

It really was proving end to end stuff as Hull replied almost immediately from the restart with a try from prop Simon Jenkins following a powerful driving maul.

The conversion was missed but Ionians soon had the scoreboard moving again when Wilson crossed for his second try of the contest.

Back came Bromsgrove and after powerful surges from McGregor, Horton and Burrows, Bastock was again released to go in at the corner, Critchlow converted for 24-24.

There was still time before the interval for Marshall to add a late penalty as Hull went in with a narrow advantage.

The pace the first half was played at was bound to have an effect but both sides continued to attack when and wherever possible in the second half.

Bromsgrove’s pack was beginning to establish its ascendancy and Critchlow converted a penalty from in front of the posts to level the scores again.

The visitors continued to look dangerous in attack but opportunities were missed as a result of handling errors and minor infringements.

In one such attack the ball was spilled in contact and Marshall seized on the error to release Wilson who stormed over in the corner for his hat-trick, Marshall added the two points to make it 34-27.

The try of the game followed when a series of forward drives and a long pass from Critchlow found Howard. He then released a perfectly timed pass to put Caolin Ryan through to score but the conversion was missed meaning Bromsgrove fell just short.