RUGBY UNION: A FOURTH consecutive defeat away at Birmingham Exiles has seen a depleted Rugby Welsh team drop down to fifth in the Midlands 5 West (South).
Injuries and unavailability have taken their toll on the Welsh side and Saturday’s 33-19 defeat now means they have won just one league match all season.
They started Saturday’s match in a positive fashion by taking the game to their opponents early on as they pressurised the home defence, going through several phases however it was Exiles who took the lead with five minutes on the clock thanks to a long distance try.
Welsh kept to their game plan with Colledge and Beecham winning plenty of lineout possession to set up the forward drives.
Captain Adam Bond constantly made ground with his powerful runs and he soon created an unconverted try, with a lovely inside pass, for scrum half Angus Wilson who crashed over from short range.
Welsh created further opportunities but another long range converted try saw Exiles lead 14-5 at half time.
Playing up hill in the second half, Welsh started impressively and the self- belief in the side improved.
Jack Taylor made a sublime midfield break and only a last ditch tackle prevented Anthony Reynolds from scoring in the corner. However from a subsequent five-metre scrum, Adam Bond powered over for a try which Wilson converted.
To Exiles’ credit, they responded well and began to make changes in their side to give them fresh impetus and the hosts scored another converted try but again Welsh responded well.
A quickly taken penalty well inside his own half saw Angus Wilson make a break and Jack Taylor was on his shoulder to race in from the half way line for a try which Wilson converted to reduce the gap to 21-19 with under 20 minutes left.
Unfortunately injuries and a lack of replacements were to prove crucial in the final stages of the contest and the Exiles capitalised to score another try, followed shortly afterwards by another through their backs.
Reduced to 14 men, Welsh still kept going despite players suffering knocks which reduced their involvement in the game.
Welsh now have a break from league action before they face Trinity Guild on November 26.
