Walsall Colts came out victorious themselves over visitors Wellesbourne but it was a keenly contested game and the home team was pushed all the way to the final whistle.

Both teams were keen to play open rugby and the initial play moved up and down the pitch until Joe Brown was put through from a well timed Steve Paddock pass. Brown used his pace to outstrip the defence and score under the posts making the conversion a formality for Ben Tipson. Wellesbourne showed why they were second in the league with two well crafted scores, the second one a piece of individual skill from the fly half slicing open Walsall’s normally solid defence. Half time saw the score 14-14.

The second half gave Walsall the advantage of the strong wind at their backs and fly half Tipson used this to keep Wellesbourne pinned back in their own half. Walsall struck early with anther Joe Brown try converted by Tipson from the touch line. Ben Tipson then stepped up for a try of his own to finish off a strong burst from Steve Paddock, adding yet another conversion. The clinching points came again from the boot of Ben Tipson with a neatly struck drop goal from the visitors 22m line. This gave Walsall the cushion they needed and their forwards finally started to gain control over the set pieces. Wellesbourne still caused problems with strong counter-rucking and looked sharp out wide but the Walsall line held strong to the final whistle for a well deserved victory.

The match was a tremendous advertisement for the quality of the North Mid’s Colts league and two teams who were fielding team principally at U18 with a couple of U17 drafted in. Credit to both sets of players for an entertaining 70 mins of rugby and no wonder they all looked dead on their feet at the end. Also credit to the Wellesbourne coaching staff for the spirit and style of rugby they engender in their team and for being good company in the clubhouse afterwards.