Birmingham Moseley 23-22 Darlington Mowden Park

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Darlington
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Birmingham Moseley 23-22 Darlington Mowden Park                              

by Paul Smith – Sunday Mercury

A last-gasp converted try from the speedy Mason Tonks saw Birmingham Moseley to a thrilling opening day win over Darlington Mowden Park.

The pacy winger beat the cover to Tom Benjamin’s kick ahead before racing 40 metres to the posts from where Ben Palmer had the simplest of match-clinching conversions.

Prior to this, Moseley trailed for over an hour of a contest in which their forwards dominated the set-piece only for turnovers and handling errors to thwart their attacking ambition.

But following an 18-month absence, Tonks’ late intervention meant Adam Balding’s team marked their return with a win which gets their National One campaign off to an encouraging start.

After Palmer’s simple penalty kicked the Red-and-Blacks into an early lead his opposite number Warren Seals responded from 40 metres.

And it was visiting scrum half Euan McKirdy who claimed the opening try when he went under the posts following an inside break by centre Callum Mackenzie.

Seals added the conversion before the Red-and-Blacks’ powerful scrummaging handed Palmer another simple three-pointer midway through the opening half.

Tonks went close to claiming Moseley’s first try in over 500 days but was held by a last-ditch tackle after recovering an awkwardly bouncing ball in Mowden Park’s 22.

Palmer’s third close-range penalty closed the hosts’ interval deficit to one point but this was extended to eight when Park grabbed a converted try three minutes after the restart.

Front row replacement Josh Crickmay was the close-range scorer, but the try owed everything to McKirdy whose quick thinking took play to within a metre of the home line.

Seals added the extras and despite their continued set-piece domination, a series of handling errors prevented the home side from making much attacking headway during the third quarter.

Moseley’s plight worsened just ahead of the hour mark when Mowden Park lock Talite Vaioleti powered into the corner following a lineout drive.

This left Moseley trailing by two converted tries, and home side grabbed a lifeline when Aquile Smith recovered Ollie Allsopp’s chip ahead to touch down a try which Palmer upgraded.

Moseley scented opportunity when the visitors lost flanker Will Jones to the sin bin following a fracas among the forwards, but Tonks was unable to release Smith when the wingers combined in a pacy counter-attack.

Palmer was then wide with a 40-metre penalty attempt before a lineout turnover on halfway gave Tonks an eleventh-hour opportunity to clinch the spoils.

Scorers:

Birmingham Moseley:

Tries: Smith, Tonks

Cons: Palmer (2)

Pens: Palmer (3)

Darlington Mowden Park:

Tries: McKirdy, Crickway, Vaioletti

Cons: Seals (2)

Pen: Seals

Attt:701