Shropshire Star

Clee Hill battle to win as they prepare for Ravens

Market Drayton Ravens came down to earth with a bump against a very well drilled and big strong Burntwood side who are the inform team of the league at the moment.

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The Ravens started brightly and from a scrappy scrum on 5 minutes Dan Bolton picked up and broke away feeding Ryan Horton who put Alex Gammon into a gap which he burst through and fed Luke Walters on the wing who ran 70 metres before being tackled by the home sides full back, but Walters was able to offload to the supporting Gammon who scored to the left of the posts Ryan Walters converted 7-0 to the visitors. Burntwood were stung into life and some big carries by their forwards and from a line out on the Ravens 5 metre line their big forwards picked and drove forward scoring on the left touch line 7-5. Again the Ravens were struggling to win any scrum ball and this allowed Burntwood to dominate and from a scrum penalty the swung the ball to the right hand touch where the right wing stepped inside and fed a supporting forward who dropped over the line to score, converted 10-7 and things looking ominous for the visitors. The home side were on the rampage and kicked the ball long only for the Ravens to try and run from deep with a pass being intercepted and the ball being ran in under the posts. 17-7.The home side were carrying hard and the visitors were sitting off them too much allowing off loads and front foot ball to the home side. The pressure eventually led to another score through their big carrying forward pack. 24-7. With the game getting away from the visitors there was a glimmer of hope as Jack Chandler charged down a kick and followed up keeping the ball in Burntwoods 22. The forwards latched onto the drive and with a series of pick and goes they managed to get the ball over the line for a score in the right corner 24-12. Burntwood immediately strike again as we kick out of our 22 to relieve pressure but their full back returns the kick with a great sidestep and is through the Ravens defensive line and offloads to a supporting forward who hasn't made any move to get back onside and is allowed to run through and score again under the posts. Half time 31-12.

The second half saw the Ravens try and up the tempo and for a good 15 minutes they were on top and Chad Fieldhouse was on the end of a driving maul to score in the left corner. 31-19. This was as close as the Ravens got as injuries and the pressure exerted by the homeside resulted in further tries that saw the homeside score three more tries leaving the final score 50-19. A well deserved win for the homeside and a situation that will test the Ravens with a visit from Clee Hill next week who also have a huge pack of forwards.

Pictures to follow from a different contributor as Lou wasn't able to make the game.