Paviors RFC

Sat 8 Nov 2025, 14:15

Sutton Coldfield

56 - 39

(HT 17-15)

Paviors

Sutton Coldfield

Paviors

Last weekend, Pavs travelled away (seemingly yet again) to Sutton Coldfield RFC (SC) in round 8 of the Midlands Regional 2 North competition. The last time the two clubs met, the honours were shared with both sides winning the home fixture. Pavs were hugely pleased to welcome back Doug Billam following shoulder reconstruction. What ensued was a hugely entertaining game of open running rugby with both sides scoring tries seemingly for fun!
Pavs kicked off playing down the deceptively big slope. They looked in good form as they pushed the home side back. After five minutes, George Billam opened the scoring with a penalty to take Pavs to a lead 3-0. During this period, Pavs had a number of opportunities to extend their lead, but were not quite able to do so, an error that was perhaps as to cost them later in the game. On eleven minutes, SC struck back as Pavs again tried to run the ball out of their own 22 before misplacing a pass which SC pounced upon to score and give them the lead at 5-3. The next twenty minutes or so saw Pavs keep pushing forward, but being kept at bay by the home side. As it was SC added another try to go 12-5 up. The returning Doug Billam was then given a break, this allowing the highly promising academy graduate Cole Mangham to enter the fray. Almost immediately, Matt Molyneux engaged the official’s wrath and he was sent for a ten minute rest! Minutes later, SC extended their lead to 17-3. With six minutes of the half left, Pavs scored two excellent tries, finding the width for youngsters Ed Marshall and Cole Manghan to score. Billam added a set of extras to bring the score to 17-15 at the break.
Reciprocally, following the break SC added two tries of their own to go 31-15 up on forty eight minutes. With fifty five minutes on the clock Phil Eggleshaw powered through to narrow matters to 31-20, before Pavs again found space out wide for Dan Flint to sprint in to bring the score to 31-25. At this point Nick Smith took a break which introduced Sam Bradley into the game. SC began to use the slope to their advantage and scored a well taken try to go 38-25 up before adding a penalty to take the score to 41-25. Doug Billam and Nick Smith were introduced as the game moved into the last ten minutes. Sam Bradley then replaced Jacob Playford and Jayden Wilkinson took the field. SC added a further try on seventy two minutes before centre Alex Morgan drove over to bring the score to 46-32 with Billam extras. SC then added a further try and penalty to end their scoring. In the last minute, Pavs kept battling and Nick Smith punched a hole in the SC defence before sprinting twenty metres to score. Scrum half, Jonty Green skilfully drop kicked the conversion to bring matters to a conclusion with final score at 56-39.
So a topsy turvy game in all respects. Pavs as always kept going to the end, but it was just not to be. They have, in fact, scored 25 or so tries in the past four games and are a real attacking force as well as being sometimes victims of their own ambition. They are knocking on the door of being a really good side and are in the process in kicking that door open and finding the required balance in their play. Pavs have another “rest” week before welcoming Newark RFC to The Stump in what is sure to be a hotly contested local derby on the 22nd November.
Squad
1. Theo Collier
2. Owen Taylor
3. Tom Ryan
4. Richard Hutchinson
5. Phil Eggleshaw (C, 1 try)
6. Jacob Playford
7. Matt Molyneux
8. Nick Smith (1 try)
9. Jonty Green
10. George Billam (1p, 3c)
11. Ed Marshall (1 try)
12. Alex Morgan (1 try)
13. Doug Billam
14. Danny Green
15. Dan Flint (1 try)
16. Cole Manghan (1 try)
17. Sam Bradley
18. Jayden Wilkinson

Forward of The Match - Phil Eggleshaw
Back of The Match - Alex Morgan
Youngster of The Match - Cole Mangham
Nigel Youl
1st XV Manager