Featured match: Bromyard Rugby Club 41 points Essington 14 at Clive Richards Sports Ground (From Hereford Times)

Featured match: Bromyard Rugby Club 41 points Essington 14 at Clive Richards Sports Ground

9:27pm Saturday 31st March 2012 in Rugby By Ian Morgan

Bromyard 41 points Essington 14

CENTRE Ed Tompkins bagged a brace for champions Bromyard who romped to their 15th successive victory in Midlands Five West (North) this afternoon.

Gareth Griffiths, Ed Jones, James Manning and Stuart Harrison also crossed the whitewash for Bromyard, who led just 14-7 at the interval.

Six-try Bromyard turned the screw in the final 22 minutes, scoring 20 points without reply at the Clive Richards Sports Ground.

The hosts had a stroke of luck 10 minutes before the break when Chris Rowberry’s penalty attempt came back of a post and the onrushing Jones followed up to touch down.

Forward John Wain was outstanding for Bromyard and deservedly claimed the man-of-the-match accolade.

Skipper Scott Holloway was delighted at the final whistle and there’s bound to be more smiles tonight with ex-England prop Jeff Probyn speaking at Bromyard’s 30th anniversary Sportsman’s Dinner.

Essington made a bright start and they turned down a shot at goal before they missed a penalty in the sixth minute.

Chris Rowberry missed a 14th minute penalty for table-topping Bromyard but the hosts gradually got into the game.

However, the visitors continued to threaten and they looked certain to score after creating an overlap on the left but prop Ben Richards’ pass went astray.

Bromyard withstood the pressure and took a 21st minute lead after Wain broke through the midfield and Griffiths finished off a sweeping move under the posts.

Rowberry converted.

The champions bagged their second try in the 30th minute after Rowberry’s penalty attempt bounced back off a post.

Jones was first to the loose ball and dived over under the posts.

Rowberry appeared to mis-hit his conversion attempt but it dribbled over to give Bromyard a 14-0 lead.

Essington hit back but Bromyard defended superbly and withstood a barrage of attack on their own line.

Essington eventually broke through on the stroke of half-time, however,Chris Gibbs darting over and prop Richards adding the conversion.

Bromyard got their third try in the 45th minute, Ed Tompkins getting on the scoresheet and Rowberry slotting the conversion to put the hosts 21-7 ahead.

However, Essington hit back in the 56th minute and Richards somehow got over the line for their second try after resilient defending from Bromyard.

The visitors slotted the conversion.

Rowberry confidently slotted a 30-metre penalty in the 58th minute to stretch Bromyard’s advantage to 24-14 and the hosts were ruthless for the remainder of the game.

Manning scored a fine individual try three minutes later.

He chipped a penalty over the Essington backline, collected the ball and ran through to touch down.

Ed Tompkins snapped up his second try of the afternoon in the 74th minute after more slick passing from the Bromyard backs.

Rowberry added the extras to stretch the hosts’ lead to 36-14.

And full-back Harrison got on the scoresheet with two minutes left, running from deep and outpacing a tired-looking Essington defence for the final try of the afternoon.

Bromyard: Stuart Harrison, Matt Cross, Matt Oliver, James Manning, Ed Jones, Chris Rowberry, Robert Ralph; James Williams, Simon Fryar, Steve Eversham, Tom Hulburd, Andy Ford, Gareth Griffiths, Will Tompkins, Scott Holloway. Replacements: Rob Legge, Jon Wain, Lawrence Fenn, Ed Tompkins.

Essington: Craig Evans, Ian Britton, Chris Gibbs, Alec Siddons, Andy Barker, Ali Cowmeadow, Nick Brittain; Ben Richards, Dave McHale, Kevin Nicklin, Phil Russell, Mark Shingler, Adam Shingler, Craig Mason, Stewart Russell. Replacements: Jack Sumers, Stephen Gallagher, Luke Adams.

Referee: Mark Morrison (Gloucester and District Society).