Walsall returned to winning ways as they dominated their Staffordshire opponents. They have now regained their position in the top three of Midlands Regional 2. It was a game that saw the Delves Road team produce some of their best rugby of the season so far.
Only three minutes had been played before the hosts crossed for their first of eleven tries. Scrum half Joe Labram was quick to get the ball away from the breakdown with flanker George Hill taking the pass and making the twenty yard try scoring run. The next try soon followed with the Walsall backs putting together some accurate passes with winger Chev Taylor finding full back Ben Pitt in support to run in the try. The visitors had already shown their attacking intent before they produced some good handling skills that resulted in winger Charlwood making the final twenty yards for the try. The hosts still had enough time to score three more tries before the interval. Hooker Rhys Gaddu made a good ball carry which was followed by quick recycling with lock forward Callum Hoy making the final fifteen yards for the try. This was quickly followed by centre Mark Harrison making another good run before finding flanker Hill in support to make the final twenty yards to score another try. The final score of the half came after Hoy made another strong ball carry this was followed by a couple of quick passes which resulted in Gaddu showing good speed over thirty yards for the try.
The hosts extended their lead early in the second half, after the visitors made a weak clearance which was collected by Walsall’s captain Adam Nunney, he found his colleague Harrison in support to run in the try. The centre scored another try four minutes later after another effective ball carry by Gaddu. This was soon followed by No 8 Lucas Cotterell touching down after a strong twenty yards run. More accurate passing and strong running with Harrison making another fine break with winger Luke Chambers supporting well for the try. Nunney was involved in creating the next Walsall score with the final pass resulting in George Hill scoring his hat trick of tries. It was the final ten minutes before the visitors added to their score when No 8 Hodgson broke through would be tacklers with Loska adding the conversion. There was still enough time for two more scores. A good run by Labram followed by a pass to his outside half Toby Smith resulted in him breaking through for Walsall’s final try. Captain Nunney then stepped up to put over his ninth conversion. Final action of the game saw the visitor’s scrum half Gould make a good break for a try with Loska’s conversion being followed by the referee’s whistle to end the match.