Tamworth Battle Hard But Lose Out

By LEA McGREEVY

Tamworth 21 Crewe & Nantwich 25

Tamworth took on second placed Crewe & Nantwich on Saturday and started the game well with the forward pack carrying strongly and the back line moving the ball well and took the lead in the sixth minute with a penalty from Danny Norton.
Crewe settled into the game and started playing some of the rugby that has seen them hold a top 2 position form most of the season and eased into the lead with a well worked try around the outside.
Their lead was short lived as Tamworth put the visitors under pressure the referee awarded a penalty and the ever reliable Norton boot did the rest 6-5
Again Crewe came back with a try this time on the opposite wing to move into a 4 point lead.
Tamworth would go into the break just a single point adrift as Norton bagged another penalty right on half time 9-10
The second period didn’t start brilliantly for Tamworth as Crewe firstly extended their lead with a penalty and then Conor Banham was sent to the sin bin for a miss timed tackle from a kick off.
Crewe moved further ahead with a try five minutes later and at that point appeared to be cruising to victory 9-18
Tamworth had other ideas though and built good pressure on the Crewe try line and Norton scored after being forced over by his forwards 14-18.
Crewe again reacted well and scored another try with a rolling maul after Liam McGreevy saw yellow after being adjudged to have infringed at the previous maul 14-25
It would be the hosts that would complete the scoring though Keiren Jackson diving over after some slick passing through the back line. Norton converted to set up a nervous finish for high flying Crewe but the visitors held on for a narrow 21-25 victory.
Tamworth can take much heart from the way they played this game and look forward to this Saturday’s trip to Kidderminster.