Worcester & Herefordshire Vets V Greater Birmingham – Jim Bennett Shield

This should have been a four team tournament but sadly neither the Guanos or Shropshire could make it this time, which left just the two teams playing for the Jim Bennett Shield which was first won by Greater Birmingham in 2018-19.

A great game of rugby ensued on probably the hottest day of the year which saw W&H turn around a half time 0-17 deficit to sneak the 24-22 victory with a converted try from Man of the Match centre Peter Crompton (Kings Norton) in the last minute!

Greater Birmingham playing with the slope in the first half scored tries through Roy Fisher (Yardley & District), Aida Butler (Old Saltleians), Alex Yates (Aldridge) plus one in the second half for Graham Edge (also Old Saltleians) with one conversion by Dan Morgan of Erdington.

The other W&H other try scorers were flying winger Duncan Chance (Stourbridge) who also set up no 8 Stuart Doolittle (Stourbridge) for his try & scrum half Paul Crocker (Kings Norton) plus two conversions from Ryan Hadley (Stourbridge).

This was very much a team effort from W&H as all 21 players from hosts Bromsgrove, DK, Kidderminster, Kings Norton, Stourbridge & Woodrush put their bodies on the line in oppressively hot conditions!

W&H:

1: Carl Stevenson (Kidderminster),

2. Dave King (Captain, Bromsgrove),

3. Matt Bingham (Kidderminster),

4. Paul Gwilliam (DK),

5.Bruce Woodley (Kidderminster),

6. Mike Steven (Stourbridge),

7. Charlie McCarthy (Kidderminster),

8. Joe Alekna (Bromsgrove),

9. Paul Crocker (Kings Norton),

10. Ryan Hadley (Stourbridge),

11. Duncan Chance (Stourbridge),

12. Paul Thomas (Bromsgrove),

13. Peter Crompton (Kings Norton),

14. Simon Snell (Woodrush),

15. Garry Morgan (DK)

Finishers: Mike Dyson, Stuart Doolittle (Both Stourbridge), Mark Cornelius, Paul Allen, Neil Hodgkins (All Bromsgrove) and Mark Cartwright (DK)