Bulldogs Edged out at the Finish

Birmingham Bulldogs Rugby League FC went to top-of-the-table Northampton Demons to face a side with a 100 per cent league record. They shocked the hosts in the opening quarter, running up an 18-point lead, but the home side clawed their way back to maintain their record.

Demons knocked on from the kick off but held out in defence on Brum’s first attacking set. The hosts then mounted an attack of their own but a fine tackle from Ventrella put his opposing winger into touch.

Bulldogs were looking lively and opened the scoring following a scrum, centre Curtis Harris finding space to cross on the right then cut in to the posts to give scrum half Danny Bancroft a straightforward conversion.

Birmingham now began to play with increasing conviction, and a smart break by Wilson saw him feed Harris who crossed for his second try, Bancroft adding the extras. Five minutes later came a third try for Bulldogs as winger Joe Gregory rounded off good handling to cross for a try in the right corner; Bancroft added an excellent touchline conversion.

Northampton needed to stop the rot, and did so in the most emphatic fashion: tries from Ethan Roberts, Ben Messenger and Adam Seamark all well converted by Paul Stewart-Beckett wiped out Brum’s lead in a little over quarter of an hour to leave the scores level at the break.

HT: Northampton Demons 18pts, Birmingham Bulldogs 18

The frist try of the second half would be significant, and it was Demons who claimed it, second rower Tom Kenney diving on a loose ball to touch down, Stewart-Beckett converting.

Having conceded 24 unanswered points in half an hour, Bulldogs needed to regain some momentum, and industrious second rower Kevin Wilson got them back on track, going over from acting half back for a try.

“You score, we score”: Stewart-Beckett joined the Demons try scorers’ list, adding the goal himself. Back came Brum, Walker providing the assist for left-winger Dan Ventrella who crossed for a try in corner that was well goaled by Bancroft, making the score 30-28 to the home side.

As both sides tired in the heat, it looked certain that one more score would decide the outcome, and it was the irrepressible Stewart-Beckett who clamed it for Demons, once more crossing for a try that he goaled himself to secure the win.

It was a tad disappointing for Brum, given how they began to match, but due credit to Northampton for their comeback.

Curtis Harris took Bulldogs’ man-of the match award, with Gareth Burns, Luke Tarpin and Kevin Wilson in contention.

Next Saturday [July 26] Bulldogs are at home to North East Worcestershire Ravens Kick 0ff 2:30