THIS match was expected to end with a routine victory for in-form Bromsgrove. The Finstall Park side had recorded seven wins and were strong favourites to defeat Old Northamptonians who had suffered seven defeats in the opening nine games.
However, against the odds the visitors came out on top as tries from Lewis Barker, Mike Bellamy and Alex Crofts stunned Bromsgrove.
The home side had also led 18-15 at half-time as Greg Campion Ed Spalding went over, but they failed to push on and Old Northamptonians punished them.
Despite their lack of victories, the visitors had come close on a number of occasions and they made a strong start at Finstall Park, with fly half Alex Rose missing a penalty.
It was a fairly evenly fought contest once the game settled but it was ONs who drew first blood when scrum half Barker scored near to the posts. Rose converted.
Grove’s response was immediate when, from the kick off, Tom Hardwick drove the ball forward forcing the visitors to concede a penalty which Richard Mahoney converted.
It appeared that the home pack was starting to assert some authority on the game and it was from a huge 40-metre driving maul where they scored their first try with Campion going over. Mahoney missed an easy conversion.
The momentum continued to swing as a beautifully weighted chip from Rose was gathered by wing Bellamy to score near the corner.
Bromsgrove then finished the opening period in the ascendancy as a powerful surge from skipper Phil Horton from well inside his own half saw Spalding to take the pass and score by the posts. Mahoney added the extras to lead by three points.
Little could seem to separate the two teams before ONs crossed the whitewash, with a try from Crofts with 20 minutes left.
Ross then landed the conversion before Rose fired over a penalty late to salvage a losing bonus point.
