Walsall’s latest Midlands Two fixture saw them travel into Nottinghamshire to face a Paviors team who had achieved some good results on their home ground. This was very evident during the first ten minutes as they showed a strong determination in defence, and then showed some excellent ball retention skills which saw them open the scoring as centre Dan Stokes finished off a sustained attack for a try which Billam converted. But the visitors soon levelled the scores as they moved the ball well with scrum half Dean Ainger bursting through for the try after a twenty five yards run with captain Adam Nunney adding a good conversion. A powerful drive from a lineout saw prop forward Tom Ryan give the home team the advantage once more. A Nunney penalty signalled a period of determined attacks by the Walsall team. A good tackle by George Hill resulted in Nunney adding a penalty, This was followed by the visitors displaying some good ball carrying and passing skills which resulted in flanker Kyle Reid making the final twenty yards run for the try. Two minutes later it was Walsall’s elusive winger, Dan Carpenter, who scored a superb try. He collected a loose ball and broke through the defence with a forty yards try scoring run with Nunney adding the conversion.
The Walsall captain opened the scoring in the second half as he put over a thirty yards penalty. Three minutes later the hosts looked as if they were going to make a breakthrough. But Walsall’s Ben Pitt made a timely interception and then outsprinted the defence on an eighty yards run for Walsall’s bonus point try. Paviors soon reduced the deficit as a series of short drives resulted in Chris Eggleshaw securing the touchdown with Billam adding the conversion. The final quarter saw the visitors establish, what proved to be, a match winning lead. Winger Luke Chambers reacted quickly as he gathered a loose ball after a tackle and beat the defence as he made a thirty yards try scoring run with Nunney adding the conversion. The restart proved to be a bit of an embarrassment for the visitors as they made several errors in trying to secure the possession. The hosts soon took advantage and secured a bonus point as Stokes scored his second try. Billam missed the conversion but soon put over a penalty. This gave the Paviors team and supporters hopes of a remarkable comeback. But, yet another Walsall interception, followed by a lung bursting ninety yards Dean Ainger run and a Nunney conversion, was enough to secure the victory for the Walsall team.
Next Saturday they face West Bridgford at Delves Road, a team that are second in the league, one place above Walsall!